VSU Youth in Action

BASIC INFORMATION

Case study date: June 2007

Local authority in which project based: Kent, Medway

Date started: 1961

End date if not ongoing: ongoing

Type of organisation: registered charity

Brief description

VSU Youth in Action supports volunteering by young people aged 14 to 25 across Kent. There are 13 units in Kent and Medway, with a central office in Sevenoaks. Each unit organises a programme of projects, community placements and one-off taster activities. VSU works with young people aged 16 to 24 through the new v funded programme (previously Millennium Volunteers). It also undertakes targeted work with young volunteers aged 14 to 16, using a progressive model of volunteering to encourage them to develop an interest and commitment to volunteering as they mature.

Collaboration

VSU works closely with a variety of voluntary and community organisations and local youth agencies, including schools and Connexions. It also has links with pupil referral units, Education Business Partnerships, Kent and Medway youth services, Kent Social Services and youth offending teams.

Funding

v provides core funding for work with 16-24 year olds (£473,199 p.a.). VSU also received v funding to develop a taster programme during 2006 (£75,000) and to employ two staff (a vteam). Kent Youth Service provides funding to support its work with 14 to16-year-olds and those who do not wish to engage in the vprogramme (£50,000 p.a.). The Rank Foundation provides £25 41,000 p.a. for its Diversity in Action Project.

Other funding for work across the whole target age range includes BBC Children in Need (£23,000 over three years until 2010) for disability work; Home Office (£40,000 over two years) for work with disabled young people; and young asylum seekers (£25,000 - 2006).

Staffing

Each unit is staffed by a senior youth worker who acts as coordinator, plus youth workers and youth support workers depending on the level of provision. Gap year volunteers also support the work.

NATURE OF PROVISION

Which groups of young people does the project work with?

VSU works with young people aged 14-25 in Kent and Medway to make volunteering opportunities more accessible across 13 areas including: Ashford, Canterbury, Dartford, Dover, Gravesham, Maidstone, Medway, Sevenoaks, Shepway, Swale, Thanet, Tonbridge and Malling, and Tunbridge Wells. A total of 2,576 volunteers took part in activities during 2006/07, of which 222 (9%) were under 16. Work with under-16s is seen as key to engaging the widest range of young people possible.

Around a third (763) of volunteers are male, and 15 per cent are from minority ethnic groups (374).

How was the need for the project identified?

Work with under-16s has been developed in response to demand from local schools and a need for provision identified by Kent Youth Service.

How do young people become involved? What, if any, commitment do you ask for?

VSU uses various methods to recruit volunteers, including referrals from agencies such as youth offending teams and Connexions. It works in schools to introduce students to community action through projects taking place during PSHE or free periods. It uses taster sessions to introduce young people to different opportunities and existing volunteers make presentations on their experiences to encourage others to get involved.

Young people are also invited to register their interest online, with under-16s advised to get parental consent before applying.

What are the main approaches used and activities offered?

VSU uses a progressive model of volunteering which combines young people’s aspirations, ideas and concerns with community needs. It regards learning and development as an integral part of the process, and offers a range of opportunities demanding different levels of commitment including:

VSU group projects – regular weekly opportunities for young people to volunteer with others in their local community supported by VSU youth workers;
VSU action groups – youth-led projects instigated by young people to respond to community needs they identify; and
VSU supported placements – drawing on a database of 1,000 opportunities in a variety of settings, allowing young people to follow their individual inspirations.

VSU holds regular briefing sessions in different venues to give young people an opportunity to explore options and meet existing volunteers. It offers a comprehensive programme of in-house training to prepare young people for volunteering. This covers introductory sessions on the rights and responsibilities of being a volunteer and ‘foundation’ and ‘advanced level’ sessions relating to particular areas of activity or skills development, such as working with others, disability awareness or first aid. Training is delivered though residentials, review days and after school sessions.

Younger volunteers or those new to volunteering can try out different opportunities through taster sessions, developing relationships with VSU staff, other volunteers and clients without the pressure to ‘clock up hours’. VSU believes that it is important to help young people build relationships with known and trusted youth workers in order to establish long term commitments. Once young people are ready, VSU staff help them draw up a volunteer plan setting out the activities they would like to get involved in and how they intend to go about it. VSU staff act as a mentors throughout the volunteering experience.

How are young people involved in shaping the project/programme?

Young people help shape the nature and direction of VSU through youth-led committees. Activities include volunteer socials, newsletters and fundraising.

Young people can design and plan projects of their own, including leading activities and taking part in evaluation. Workers act as facilitators and allow young people to take the lead wherever possible.

How does the project respond to the needs of different young people - particularly under-16s and those most marginalised?

VSU works with specialist agencies to engage young people who are disaffected or socially isolated, aiming to build constructive relationships with them at as early an age as possible through offering positive, practical activities. This approach has helped produce a small, steady stream of young volunteers.

Younger volunteers are often encouraged to take part in mixed group projects which allow them to build up confidence and benefit from peer support provided by older young volunteers.

The Diversity in Action project provides opportunities for young people of all faiths and backgrounds to explore and celebrate cultural diversity. This includes developing an activities file on different faiths including Sikhism, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism, which is used by VSU staff to help provide activity ideas and raise awareness of different faiths and festivals. Other projects provide opportunities to address issues such as disability, asylum and social exclusion.

VSU provides out of pocket expenses, equipment and training as appropriate. Providing transport is a key aspect of supporting under-16s, ensuring that they are picked up from school and returned home safely.

OUTCOMES OF WORK

Does the project contribute to the five Every Child Matters outcomes for young people?

VSU’s main contribution to ECM outcomes is providing opportunities for young people to ‘make a positive contribution’ to their communities. It also helps young people ‘enjoy and achieve’ through providing opportunities for personal and social development, leading to improved educational attainment and encouraging lifelong learning.

Other outcomes are achieved through projects focusing on specific areas such as anti-bullying, environmental activities or those designed to combat isolation. Many volunteers have also identified career choices through their volunteering.

What skills do young people gain through their involvement in the project?

In addition to task-specific skills, volunteers gain increased confidence and improved communication, listening and interpersonal skills. Those involved in youth-led projects develop leadership, organisation, planning, and evaluation skills.

How are young people's progress and achievements measured, recorded and accredited?

Young people are encouraged to draw up personal development plans and take part in evaluation sessions to help reflect on their learning. Accreditation is offered through national schemes such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s and Youth Achievement Awards and local schemes including Kent Volunteer Awards and Lions Awards. The project also offers a BTEC in peer education.

What has changed for other young people, organisations or the wider community as a result of the project?

VSU stress the need for young people’s volunteering to demonstrate clear community benefits. Practical projects, such as recycling projects or creating a sensory garden, make a visible contribution to the local community. Projects such as volunteering in children’s clubs, sports coaching and support for disabled young people bring together young people who would not normally come into contact with each other. Likewise, intergenerational projects have helped build relationships between young and old, dispelling some of the negative images often associated with young people. Projects such as Diversity in Action contribute towards community cohesion by raising awareness and promoting cultural diversity in Kent.

MEASURING EFFECTIVENESS

How is the project evaluated?

The project is evaluated through a range of formal and informal arrangements with Kent Youth Service including representation on VSU board of trustees, bi-annual contact returns, annual reports and dialogue developed through working in close partnership.

What are the findings of any evaluations to date?

VSU’s work with under-16s and older young people has always been positively received.

What changes/developments have occurred as a result of evaluation?

Changes have been predominately dictated by funding streams. In more recent years work has been skewed towards over-16s in line with policy developments and related funding opportunities.

What has worked well and why?

Developing partnership agreements with schools has underpinned the relationship and provided reassurance and continuity where staff turnover occurs. They cover practical and logistical arrangements such as producing termly newsletters, noticeboards and presentations in assemblies.
Providing direct input into schools allows workers to take volunteering to young people and start developing relationships. Taster sessions are also useful in introducing young people to different opportunities.
Group projects have proved a useful way to involve younger volunteers and help them gain confidence and experience.

What has been difficult and why?

The funding for work with younger age groups is limited.
Working with younger volunteers can be resource intensive, because of the level of support needed.
Child protection and insurance issues can make it difficult to find placements.

PARTNERSHIP AND STRATEGIC IMPACT

What does your organisation bring to partnership work?

VSU has over 40 years’ experience of creating volunteering opportunities for young people. VSU staff are skilled youth workers with extensive experience and clear ideas about youth volunteering and the importance of learning and development.

Has this partnership resulted in greater collaboration or increased understanding between partners?

VSU has developed a model of partnership working applicable across the county. It has enhanced its credibility through links with experts in other fields such as social services.

Have you experienced any particular difficulties in partnership working?

Most partners will have their own agendas and priorities – as a result, partnership agreements can be difficult and time consuming. Legislative changes may also dictate different priorities.

Do you consider your organisation to be innovative?

VSU has developed the capacity to provide a diverse programme which allows it to tailor volunteering opportunities to fit individuals’ wants and needs, including age appropriate activities.

How do you disseminate the learning from the project?

VSU’s marketing officer raises awareness of VSU and promotes its activities.
Membership of a range of networks and committees.
Celebratory events such as award ceremonies, VSU AGM, volunteer socials.
Local press and specialist press such as NYA youthaction magazine.

What plans do you have to sustain/develop this work?

VSU plans to continue work with under-16s, aiming to safeguard this less well funded area in the wake of v and renewed emphasis on work with older young people.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Judith Skinner, VSU Youth in Action, c/o Bradbourne School, Bradbourne Vale Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 3LE. Tel: 01732 469549. Website: http://www.vsuinkent.org/