School Volunteering
The Centre for Volunteering's Student Community Involvement Program (SCIP) is a community development program that actively promotes and increases student participation in their local communities through volunteering opportunities. It encourages proactive youth with a greater understanding and community awareness.
SCIP informs students about the needs within their community and provides them with opportunities to get involved in a practical way.
The Student Community Involvement Program includes:
- Student Community Involvement Day
At the request of a school The Centre organises a seminar at the school with speakers from a range of different community organisations. The aim of this seminar is to give students a practical idea of volunteer opportunities and the range of different organisations in their local area. SCIP can also link in with a particular curriculum or program at the school.
- Volunteer opportunities
The school, with guidance from The Centre, canvasses the local area to identify organisations that involve young volunteers in an interesting and safe environment. Depending on the school's SCIP program students undertake volunteering at an organisation of their choosing.
The concept of students being actively engaged in their community is a popular one. Although there are barriers to organisations involving young people, such as insurance issues and laws surrounding working with children, SCIP aims to work with schools and community organisations to reduce these barriers.
In order to offer students a wider range of volunteer opportunities, new approaches are available in the way that students volunteer, such as:
- School based projects
- Fundraising
- Gathering resources
- Awareness campaigns
Access this program by becoming a member of The Centre for Volunteering.