Volunteering is an integral part of the Award Programme, it is not only
an important part for our participants to complete their Awards but also an
important factor for smooth running of the programme. Below is an article first
published in The Guardian talking about ways to embrace young volunteers.
There has never been a better
time for charities to embrace a generation of school-aged volunteers, so why do
so many young people and children find it so hard to locate meaningful
volunteering opportunities?
Young volunteers have a vast
amount to give, and yet a lot of charities are missing out on this vital
opportunity, citing a number of common myths surrounding youth volunteering. If
charities don't support young volunteers, then we are not safeguarding our own
futures by supporting the next generation of volunteers and, more importantly,
we're missing out on all the benefits that young volunteers can bring to our
organisations.
At the JLGB (Jewish Lads' &
Girls' Brigade), we have worked hard to remove barriers to participation for
young Jewish people in a whole host of national award schemes, most notably the
Duke of Edinburgh Award. As a result, we have seen an enormous increase in
participation with 50% of young Jewish people in faith schools now taking part
in this award. However, 65% indicated that they required extra support in
finding a suitable volunteering placement.
The same topics arise in every
discussion of under-16s volunteering: insurance won't cover this age group,
young people would need too much training, there's no one to supervise them, or
perhaps they've had bad experiences with young volunteers before. Some of these
are valid worries, many are urban myths, but more often than not, it's just
been easier for many charities to stick to the status quo than tackle the
(sometimes remarkably simple) changes that are needed in order to embrace young
volunteers.
Of course, many charities lack
vital resources and capacity so key to this initiative will be helping more
charities to look at their current approaches and understanding of young
volunteers. It is encouraging that, with some simple steps, a great amount can
be achieved.
A short guide to embracing young volunteers
1. Think about how current voluntary roles might be adapted for a young
person
Remember to take in to account
commitments that young people might have, for example school work or faith
barriers such as not volunteering on the Sabbath. Perhaps it isn't appropriate
for young people to work one-to-one with your beneficiaries, but they could
always help out under the supervision of a senior volunteer, or even as a small
group of young people.
2. Use technology to create new opportunities
Almost all young people are
familiar with new technology, software and social media. A huge range of
volunteering opportunities can be created easily with this as a springboard,
such as getting a young person to manage social media sites, blog regularly or
make and edit videos, photos and publicity – all of which can even be done
remotely.
3. Don't be put off by tricky stuff like insurance or youth policies
Sometimes, all it takes is a
small tweak of your charity's current policy to include under-16s, and if not
then perhaps they will be covered by their school or youth group's policy or
award scheme. It's also worth identifying charities in your area which you know
work with young volunteers and approaching them for advice – vInspired has an
exhaustive list of local charities that accept young volunteers.
4. Get young people and staff prepared
By developing training sessions
with young people in mind, you can easily cover lots of potential issues, such
as confidentiality, what it means to be a responsible volunteer, and what to do
if they have any issues. Why not approach your local voluntary youth organization,
and see if they run any sort of training for young volunteers? Don't forget to
prepare current staff and volunteers for working with young people – sometimes
a bad experience with other volunteers can put young people off.
5. Don't forget rewards
Sounds obvious, but we all like
to be appreciated. Does your organization have an awards evening in which you
could include young people? Could you support a young person's participation in
a nationally recognized volunteering award?
6. Shout about it
If we all shout about what we are
doing to support young volunteers, it will gradually become more acceptable to
include young volunteers, and we can learn from one another's experiences. Use
newsletters, social media and local schools or youth groups to publicize your
good work – and let's get British charities talking about how we can support a
new generation of volunteers.
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