| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 27.06.2006 | Goldstar Regional Conference (South East) |
| Number of Delegates | Location |
|---|---|
| 40 (click to view list) | The Thistle Hotel Exeter |
| Format |
|---|
| 1. Interviews with GoldStar Exemplar project managers 2. Workshops relating to recruitment and selection and progression pathways |
A more detailed outline of some of the issues arising as part of the event is also available on this websit
Scott McMillan from Somerset Youth Volunteering Network provided a number of insights into how volunteers are recruited and supported:
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Somerset Youth Volunteering Network, (SYVN), is a charity company, limited by guarantee and is based in Glastonbury. It is run by young people and aims to support all young people aged 14 -25 who want to get involved in volunteering, community action and citizenship in Somerset. 90% of the Board of Trustees fall in the 18 to 25 age group and all volunteers are given the opportunity to attend board meetings for most of SYVN’s business.
Two key themes were addressed as part of the event, these being recruitment and selection and induction and training of volunteers.
The following views expressed at the event provide a flavour of some of the issues raised.
“We go out and wave the flag at as many events as we can… but most young people come word of mouth; young people recruiting young people to join”
“You have got to take it (training) seriously. You are asking a young person to take on a role of responsibilities for another young person. You can’t expect them to do that if you don’t put the advice, the support, the training, the back up into that young person”
“As far as I’m concerned if you are a volunteer, that is simply how much you get paid. You are there as a member of staff of that organisation and therefore entitled to everything that every other member of staff is entitled to at that level”
“Organisations aren’t willing to take on volunteers with special needs because they don’t understand enough”
“In our organisation we recently had an equality and diversity day and some of the opinions that came out of that were terrifying frankly”
“We look at our volunteers as the jewel in the crown. Without them, we could not operate. Everything is about them. They have their own service user representative. They have their own volunteer representative. They virtually run our service”
“Ideally it (training) should be accredited, but at the moment there are a lot of pieces of training that are being shoe horned into accreditation that doesn’t fit with what you are trying to do”
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