Winston Churchill once said, “You make a living by what you get; you make a life by what you give.” This quote by the former Prime Minister encapsulates volunteering; it is a choice to make but one where the benefits are deeply felt by the recipient and the volunteer.
CTSI’s monthly theme for August is “Youth Volunteering”. Its focus is highlighting the role young people play in our local volunteering culture here in the Wee County. Across Clackmannanshire, young people are actively volunteering in Clackmannanshire’s community cafés, charity shops, and sports and youth clubs. All of these reinforce the value of community that young people have. To put numbers to this impact, despite young people being affected by the effects of Covid, in 2022 the formal participation rate of 68% of young people aged between 17-18 was among the highest rates among age categories (Youth Volunteering in Times of Crisis, 2023). Furthermore, the Scottish Household Survey recorded 31% of over 16s nationally saying they have volunteered once a month in the last 12 months (The State of Volunteering in 2023: Trends and Challenges).
There are many benefits for young people who volunteer, such as gaining newfound confidence; making a tangible difference; meeting new people; becoming a part of a community; learning new employable skills; and most importantly, having lots of fun!
Plus, the employability prospects for young people who volunteer are high. For example, research carried out by Deloitte recorded that 82% of hiring managers are more likely to choose a candidate with previous experience in volunteering, and 85% of employers may overlook other CV flaws when a candidate includes volunteering in their CVs. This is because employers can see the strength of character in those candidates as they choose to volunteer in the community.
The benefits for young people don’t stop there, CTSI is also the local administrator for the Scottish Government’s Saltire Awards Scheme which is for young people aged between 12 and 25 involved in volunteering within Scotland. The Saltire Awards ensure young people receive the recognition and rewards they deserve for their volunteering efforts in the community. Once you start volunteering, all you have to do is sign up on the Saltire Awards website and log your hours. As you rack up the hours, you will begin to collect certificates. If you particularly embody the spirit of volunteering, your Volunteer Manager may even submit your name to be considered for the Summit Award, the highest achievement under the Saltire Awards Scheme, with only a handful handed out each year. Young people can get further involved by becoming a Saltire Ambassador. These are volunteers who support the delivery of Saltire, are the go-to people in schools for peers asking about Saltire and support CTSI in developing the scheme across Clackmannanshire. If you would like to participate in the Ambassadors role, please email Chris at christopher.white@ctsi.org.uk.
To illustrate, Andrew and Maryk were recently awarded the Saltire Awards for volunteering at Connect Alloa. Andrew was at first quiet but after building up his volunteer hours by helping at Connect Alloa’s youth sessions and community days he eventually achieved paid work with Connect Alloa. Similarly, Maryk was awarded the Ascent Certificate (500 hours) as he has tirelessly and continuously helped Connect staff with all their community events and evening sessions volunteering with both the older and younger groups. On top of this, Maryk has been running successful cooking sessions for Connect’s young people.
These examples show that young people are at the forefront of making the Wee County a better place for all who call it home and the many good things happening in Clackmannanshire.
There are so many good things happening in Clackmannanshire, and young people are at the forefront of making the Wee County a better place for all who call it home.
If you want to get started on your volunteering journey, just fill out this form or email Chris, CTSI’s Volunteer Development Officer, at christopher.white@ctsi.org.uk and he will be in touch to help get you started!
