Issue 68: June 2011 - Youth Work Ireland

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