A poem from our Youth Action Team Member Nicole Perry, aged 17

 

Thank you V

 

You helped me build confidence and self esteem

You've given me great friends and made me part of a team

You've given me experience,

and really useful skills

Everything we do is great

And great is how it feels

From Camping and Ice Skating

To photography at Stonehenge

To stick with you guys

Is what I intend

Smiles and laughter is something we do

I just want to say a great big thank you

 

Thank you.

What is vinvolved wiltshire?

 

vinvolved is England’s biggest ever youth action scheme with 107 vinvolved teams, one in each region of England, signposting young people to inspiring opportunities that contribute to their local communities.

 

The roles of the vinvolved team are to:

 

Support and develop local and regional networking

 

Provide training and capacity building to organisations, enabling them to engage and work with young people effectively

 

Undertake awareness raising activities and youth-led project development

 

Encourage partnerships and sharing good practice to create a vibrant youth volunteering communit

 

Work with new and existing organisations to develop new volunteering opportunities for young people

 

Ensure that young people from diverse backgrounds have the opportunity and are actively encouraged to volunteer

 

This is achieved through supporting, networking, training, capacity building and the sharing of good practice to create a vibrant youth volunteering community.

 

 

Encouraging 16-25 year old volunteers

 

Young people can offer organisations enthusiasm, energy and ‘a fresh face’.  Many volunteers can offer expertise and knowledge in their areas of interest.  vinvolved placement providers can benefit greatly from the input of young volunteers. 

 

Some organisations are concerned that young people may not be able to offer long term voluntary support or have the experience of an older volunteer.  However, people that volunteer in their teens and early twenties are much more likely to volunteer in the future.  So they are a valuable investment for the future.  It will also give them an insight and appreciation of the valuable work that the Voluntary Sector does in the community, at a crucial time in their lives when experience really matters when seeking employment.