Issue 68: June 2011 - Youth Work Ireland

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Young People & VolunteeringActivity Supplementby Gina HalpinThe EU has designated 2011 as the European Yearof Volunteering. For young people volunteeringcan offer a great way to help build their personaland professional development, while at the sametime giving them an opportunity to build on skillsor interests they have. It is also a fun way to meetnew people.This activity supplement looks at the positive gainsyoung people can get from volunteering, and, whatthey can contribute by volunteering.Start a discussion that considers the mostpowerful motivators for young people offeringtheir time free of charge. Remind them of thethings that can be gained such as:Skill Acquisition - Job & Communication SkillsPersonal & Professional Development - TrainingConfidenceExperience - Could be added to their C.VHaving Fun - Meeting new peopleNew Challenges - Great life experiencesSatisfaction - By making a differenceWidens Horizons - Through the ability to exploredifferent sorts of career or job opportunities in avoluntary capacityAnd the things young people could bring to anorganisation:Activity OneWhy Do People Volunteer?Aim: This exercise encourages young people to seethe personal and social benefits of volunteering.Materials: Flipchart paper and markers.Start by suggesting that young people often engagein voluntary activities, even if they do not labelthem as such. For example, they might help acharity raise money, get involved with a politicalcampaign or fundraise for their school or sportsteam. Have the young people discuss in smallgroups the following:EnergyEnthusiasmA Fresh PerspectiveSkills and Abilities - particularly in I.TA Youth Point of ViewConclude that volunteering comes in many formsand levels of commitment and is often linked topersonal values and a wish to help a cause thatpeople are linked to by experience or family andfriends.Source: Youth Work Now, January 2011Any voluntary work that they have done.Why they got involved.What they get out of it.After 10 minutes hand out the flipchart paper andmarkers and ask the young people to list theirreasons under the following headings “Personal”,“Family/Friends”, “Community” and “Social”.Irish Youth Work Scene 12 Issue 68, June 2011
Activity TwoVolunteer Action Diamond NineAim: This is a sorting activity to explore thereasons why young people don’t volunteer.Materials: Enough sets of the Volunteer ActionDiamond Nine cards (see below) for the youngpeople to work in small groups and someinformation about local volunteering opportunities.Divide the young people into groups of fours orfives and hand each a set of the “Volunteer ActionDiamond Nine” cards.The task is to read the cards and then rank them inthe order of what they believe to be the mainbarriers to volunteering, through to those that theythink are not so likely. These should then be placedto make a diamond shape, with the top reason atone end, and the least at the other.When every group has finished, start a roundrobin, taking a ranking from each group andcomparing it to where other groups have placed thesame card.Start debate about the reasons given and ask theyoung people why someone might choose not tovolunteer. Sum up the session by discussing thewide range of opportunities available from localand national campaigns.Volunteer Action Diamond NineThey don’t know about the opportunities availableThey don’t have the timeThey hold stereotypes about the type of people whodo voluntary workThey don’t know anyone else who doesvoluntary workThey think they don’t have any skills to offerThe advertising for the organisation puts them offThey do not believe that anything they dowill make a differenceThey would prefer to be paid for workThey think it will be boring and a waste of timeSource: Youth Work Now, January 2011Activity ThreeA Check List for Young PeopleFor young people who are considering volunteeringhere is a Check List the youth worker could useto go through with themHow much time do I have to give? - How muchtime can they spare for volunteering? It is up tothem, remember other commitments like family,study and hobbies.What period of time can they commit to volunteering?For example, one hour a week, more or less?Summer? Some charities may require theirvolunteers to stay for a minimum period of time socheck before you commit.How will they get there? - Do they have their owntransport? If not, is it easy for them to use publictransport?What kind of Volunteering would they like to do?Do they have a particular interest in animals or art,or working with children. This would ensure theyenjoy the volunteering work and it could give thema better insight into a potential career option.Taking the first steps... advice fromVolunteer Centres IrelandThere is currently no standard age at which youngpeople in Ireland can volunteer. The decision is leftto the voluntary organisation. There are a numberof ways in which you may consider gettinginvolved as a volunteer:1. Contact a local Volunteer Centre to see ifthey have volunteer opportunities appropriateto your age group.2. Some organisations may be willing to takeon youth volunteers as long as they have anadult supervisor.3. You may wish to consider volunteering witha parent, older brother, sister or friend whois 18 years or older.4. Talk to your teachers about how your classor school can get involved - your schoolmay have a club that has a communityservice component where students volunteertogether as a member of a group.6. Your local youth group may have aprogramme for youth to volunteer.Source: www.volunteer.ieIrish Youth Work Scene 13 Issue 68, June 2011
Page 1 and 2: Irish Youth WorkSceneMagazine for Y
Page 3 and 4: Teenage Perspectives 2011A report o
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Issue 68: June 2011 - Youth Work Ireland

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