SERVICE DETAILS
We support organisations in developing opportunities for young people
Volunteering for young people is a fantastic way to build up social and professional skills, learn new ways of working and contribute to the wider community.
Why include young volunteers in your work?
Young people can bring a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and commitment to a volunteering role and can bring a new dimension to your work.
Young people can:
- Provide peer support to your beneficiaries
- Help provide a voice for other young people so that views and experiences of your service can shape future work
- Help you to develop partnership and networks with other organisations that support young people e.g. schools, youth groups and other voluntary organisations
- Help promote your work to the wider community e.g. parents, residents and other communities
The benefits to your young volunteers
Giving young people an opportunity to volunteer within your organisation has the potential to provide life changing experiences and benefit their future plans. It is widely recognised that volunteering can be beneficial to a young person by:
- Building professional and personal skills
- Providing employment experience in a young person’s chosen occupation or career path
- Giving them a break from the norm and a chance to do something completely different
The Curriculum of Excellence has stipulated a need for volunteering opportunities for young people as it too recognises that through volunteering, young people can:
- Develop their identity as active citizens
- Can develop into active and positive citizens within their communities
- Can develop their ability to build social skills and social networks
How can we help?
We have a range of different ways in which we can support an organisation in its provision for young volunteers including creating volunteering structures, policies and procedures and celebrating and recognising your young volunteers.
Supporting organisations in developing opportunities for young people:
When thinking about creating opportunities for young people to volunteer within your organisation, it is important to think about what support structures and policies you will need in place to support for both you and your volunteers.
We can give you guidance on the policies and procedures that can support your young volunteers.
We can also help you with:
- Building a Task/Role description
- Guidance on recruiting and inducting your volunteers
- Help to providing ongoing support and training to volunteers
Principally we can advertise and publicise your opportunities for you via our website and through our five offices across the city.
For more help on engaging young people as volunteers please call 0131 225 0630 or email youth@volunteeredinburgh.org.uk.
