CUP works with local residents particularly those with enforced leisure time, to provide sustainable community led youth activities in disadvantaged areas, engaging young people in positive activities. At present efforts are concentrated in deprived areas of North & South Kirklees. CUP provides time & equipment to enable adult residents, working in a volunteer capacity to set up and promote constructive opportunities for young people aged 8 to 16 years.
Communities United Project (CUP) works in areas which are deemed as areas of disadvantage both socially & economically with many suffering from unemployment, crime and drugs. CUP builds relationships with each community it works within to ensure they have the trust and faith in CUP.
CUP recruited its first volunteer in 1998 and currently has over 30 volunteers registered. The organisation recruits volunteers from local communities, ideally where CUP has a young peoples activity project, so that they can gain a quality volunteering experience within their own community. They also provide an insight into the issues/ experiences of living in that community.Volunteers recruited from these areas are non-traditional learners. CUP uses the “hook” of sport to engage them in volunteering activities.
Volunteers have an individual learning plan which is developed in order that their training & support needs are met and relevant training & education courses & programmes are accessed. The aim is to enable volunteers to learn or relearn the skills for them to be able to continue to provide activities for young people on their estates once CUP has ceased working in the area. Volunteers receive an induction to the organisation at which time they are given a volunteers handbook to enable them to keep a record of their voluntary activity. CUP has been delivering a 12-week pilot project offering an accredited course “Certificate in Community Volunteering”, delivered in conjunction with the Volunteer Centre.
Volunteer records are kept in the volunteer handbook and any issues identified are also recorded along with any action taken. At each activity session attended, volunteers are given the opportunity to speak to the staff member in charge of the session to discuss any issues that may have arisen.
The contribution of volunteers is recognised in a number of ways including the CUP’s annual away days, providing an opportunity for volunteers to share ideas and have an input into the plans for the future development of the organisation, celebratory lunches where certificates are awarded, being director for the day at Huddersfield football club, forming of a volunteers football team and a Christmas dinner.
