Forming partnerships: Volunteering makes a difference
[6 June 2006 | The Centre for Volunteering]
The Centre for Volunteering has recently partnered with Youth Off the Streets (YOTS) on the long-term project Volunteering makes a difference: Volunteering opportunities for disadvantaged young people. This innovative project provides positive volunteer experiences, training and mentoring to disadvantaged young people so that they can contribute to their communities while gaining employment skills, self-esteem and enhanced mental health. We are working with YOTS because we have similar goals and have now combined our expertise with theirs in the fields of volunteering and youth support.
YOTS is a registered charity providing accommodation, education, counselling and care to drug-addicted and homeless young people. A decade of experience has taught YOTS that education is the most effective way to break the cycle of abuse that can trap young people. Programs are based on a model of positive peer support, where young people are encouraged to work together and explore solutions to the issues they face. Specifically, the Volunteering makes a difference project fits into their newly-developed Service Learning Program.
The Service Learning Program was implemented by YOTS in 2002 and is an innovative, values-based intervention initiative which is producing encouraging results. It is a character-building educational program specifically designed to provide opportunities to motivate young people to learn about their own values and attitudes through 'serving their local community'. This learning process bridges the gap that many young people experience because they habitually feel abandoned and alienated from society. Ultimately it aims to make them feel part of society. The relevant training, debriefing and reflection strategies that YOTS offers complement the volunteer opportunities that The Centre will offer young people.
Sarah Clegg, Service Learning Coordinator at YOTS said: "We can only imagine that such experiences will strengthen this service learning program process and encourage our young people to develop a sense of worth, empowerment and their capabilities through the priceless gift of giving their time. We believe that The Centre for Volunteering has the appropriate skills, experience, capacity and standing in the volunteering sector to deliver this project successfully and we are keen to be on board."
The Centre for Volunteering is excited to be collaborating with YOTS in such a challenging and worthwhile venture. We look forward to a long-standing and rewarding partnership.
Find out more about our Volunteering makes a difference project:
- Call for organisations who can work with young people
- Volunteering makes a difference: Volunteering opportunities for disadvantaged or at-risk young people