Doncaster Millennium Volunteers for Young People with Additional Needs

BASIC INFORMATION:

Case study date: July 2006

Local authority in which project based: Doncaster

Brief description:

Doncaster Millennium Volunteers (MV) is a CSV (Community Service Volunteers) project that enables young people aged 16 to 24 with additional needs to make a positive contribution to their community through volunteering. It offers a broad range of volunteering opportunities to support individuals' needs, experience and abilities. Young people can volunteer individually or in groups, and the project supports those with:-

physical and learning disabilities;
mental health issues;
sensory impairments; and
a variety of medical conditions.

Doncaster MV, like all other MV schemes, aims to assist young people who may not otherwise participate in volunteering to reach their full potential by applying the MV mantra of encouraging young people to 'build on what they're into'. It works with them to overcome potential barriers to volunteering because of their disability or lack of accessible opportunities locally. It provides training to help a young person into their volunteering role, such as confidence and team building, assertiveness training and customer care. Additional role related training can be provided such as basic certificates in food hygiene and First Aid.

Collaboration:

CSV is contracted by Connexions South Yorkshire to deliver the project and the project is managed by CSV through its regional office in Bradford. Local partners include schools, colleges, and the youth service. A range of organisations within the local community provide volunteering opportunities.

Funding:

The Department for Education and Skills provides core funding on a yearly basis.

Staffing:

One part-time project coordinator and two part-time project workers.

NATURE OF PROVISION

Which groups of young people does the project work with?

The project works with young people aged 16 to 24 with additional needs in the Doncaster area. This includes young people with physical and learning disabilities, mental health issues, sensory impairments and medical conditions, or a combination of needs. There is a 50:50 gender mix.

How was the need for the project identified?

CSV aims to have a 'non rejection policy', to enable anyone willing and able to volunteer to do so. When MV was launched over nine years ago it had nine core values, one of which was inclusivity. CSV was approached to run this project for young people from special schools in Doncaster who had a variety of additional support needs.

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

Referrals come from local partners working with young people with additional needs, i.e. schools, colleges, the youth service, social services and Connexions. The CSV and MV national websites also provide a means of recruiting young people. Volunteers must commit a minimum of three hours per week to the programme. The project encourages young people to work towards certificates of 50, 100, 150 or 200 hours within a two year period.

What are the main approaches used and volunteering opportunities offered?

The project's approach is based on listening to young people and offering them opportunities that build on what they're into. The induction programme uses placement packs, audiotapes and picture boards to help young people understand the aims of the project and what they can gain from becoming Millennium Volunteers (MVs). Young people are also invited to events where they can meet with current or graduate MVs to chat about the 'MV experience'.

The project offers a broad selection of placement opportunities, in areas such as conservation, retail, working with animals, theatre work, admin, IT and sports. This may be on an individual or group basis, depending on the individual or type of opportunity. Opportunities also exist for volunteering within the MV project.

The project also develops opportunities in response to volunteers' requests. Examples include a weekly football club, a photography project and a performance group that culminated in a production at the local theatre.

Where individual needs change or volunteers want to try alternative placements, project staff help identify new opportunities. All placements are thoroughly risk assessed to meet MV and CSV health and safety standards.

Volunteers who have completed their 200 hours award are given the chance to continue, providing the volunteering opportunity is still available. However, there are limits to the levels of support the project can offer, since resource constraints mean that it prioritises support for those working towards MV awards.

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

The project encourages young people to identify their own needs and areas of interests which may include the development of youth-led community projects. Following initial discussion, young people are helped to draw up a personal plan outlining their aims. They are also encouraged and supported to take part in delivering and developing all aspects of the project. Volunteers are involved in producing newsletters, youth forums and meetings to plan projects and celebratory events. They have also taken part in staff recruitment.

How does the project respond to the specific needs of disabled young people?

Project staff tailor their support according to volunteers' individual needs to enable them to achieve their personal plans. Volunteering opportunities are checked for suitability and access.

The project provides a range of services, including help with reading and completing forms, identifying opportunities to suit particular needs, and increasing volunteers' confidence in using public transport through accompanying them, mapping out routes or providing taxis if necessary.

Project staff provide advice and support throughout their volunteering and maintain regular contact with volunteers, parents and carers.

OUTCOMES OF WORK

How do young people benefit from their involvement in the project?

The project supports young people with disabilities to reach their full potential, providing them with opportunities to make choices, develop new skills, become more independent, access training, meet new people, mix with others outside of their usual environment and have fun.

The experience may also help them progress into further volunteering, training, higher education or even employment. Within the last nine months the project has supported three volunteers into part-time employment and one into full-time employment.

How does your organisation benefit from involving/supporting young disabled people as volunteers?

Young volunteers help run the project.

How do other young people, organisations or the wider community benefit from the project?

The project supports young people to increase understanding and change negative attitudes about young people with disabilities. Some MVs choose this as their area of volunteering and represent their peers through local youth forums. Several MVs contributed to the recent national discussion on barriers to volunteering. One person has recently become self-employed and hopes to deliver disability awareness training to groups and companies.

Members of the project have also been involved in various programmes researching and making recommendations into local access and all aspects of disability awareness. As a result of needs identified by young people themselves, the project has worked with the council's active recreation team to establish the 'Altogether Sports Group'. This now offers a local resource available to anyone with additional support needs and runs independently with members involved in making decisions and as committee members. Other community projects have developed in response to needs identified by MVs, such as cafes and drama opportunities.

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

Volunteers draw up a personal plan when they start with the project and complete a profile at the end, giving them a record of their personal development and learning.

Project staff hold regular meetings with volunteers to monitor progress and check the suitability of placements. Visits mainly take place at volunteers' homes or at school or college where a drop-in service is offered. Six monthly reviews formally record progress.

The project operates in accordance with the national MV programme, which recognises young people who achieve up to 200 hours of voluntary work at bronze, silver and gold levels (50, 100 and 200 hours respectively).

Celebration and social events allow volunteers to meet and make friends and share experiences, sometimes at regional and national level as well as locally.

MEASURING EFFECTIVENESS

How is the project evaluated?

The project is overseen by the CSV regional office. Reporting is through regular meetings and submission of reports on project activities, outcomes and quality standards, in accordance with CSV national policies and systems. The project reports to Connexions South Yorkshire which manages its contract. Both Connexions and CSV are accountable to Government Office Yorkshire and the Humber and provide six monthly and annual reports.

The project has also been audited by external bodies on a number of occasions.

What are the findings of any evaluations to date?

Evaluation to date has been positive, hence the continuation of funding over a seven year period. The project is valued by partners, volunteers and parents and carers.

What changes/developments have occurred - or are planned - as a result of evaluation?

In response to the project coordinator's recommendations, experienced support staff were employed to help young people with additional needs access the project and ensure its overall success. This proved a turning point which allowed MVs to achieve their goals without further concessions and on their own merit in the same way as any other young person.

What are the main barriers you experience when involving young disabled people as volunteers?

Money?
Parents and carers can naturally be protective which may impact on the young person's right to make their own choices.
Access and transport restrictions.

Has your organisation been able to overcome these barriers?

Money - NO
The project recognises that parents and carers have an important role in the partnership and works closely with them to keep them informed and provide reassurance. Where necessary it will liaise with all parties to reach decisions that satisfy all.
The project is usually able to overcome access and transport barriers through its own experience and advice from volunteers and carers, for instance making recommendations to volunteering organisations on how to become more user friendly or conform with laws governing access requirements.

Are there any that still remain, if so, why?

Remaining obstacles are associated with resource constraints and unsure future funding which restrict the project's ability to expand its numbers and to widen its remit to include an older age group.

PARTNERSHIP WORKING

When working in partnership, what is the distinctive contribution?

CSV's skill is in matching individuals to volunteering opportunity. It also enables organisations to gain experience of working with young people with an additional need that can develop their understanding and widen their diversity.

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

Partnership work has assisted in meeting common aims to improve and extend services available to young people. The project's broad experience means that it can signpost to other agencies, as well as working with other services to extend or develop provision.

STRATEGIC IMPACT

Do you consider this project to be innovative?

Yes. This is the only MV project nationally that specifically and solely works with young people with additional needs.

How do you disseminate the learning from the project?

The project is in regular contact with partners and keeps evidence of good practice and achievements. It contributes to the learning of all CSV projects by attending national meetings and residentials.

Has the learning from this work influenced wider organisational/service strategies? If so, how?

A senior member of the Russell Commission for Youth Volunteering implementation group visited the project in 2005 and was impressed by the involvement of so many individuals with additional support needs. This visit has been influential in policies for involving young people with disabilities.

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

Given the resources, the project would extend its provision to support young people beyond 200 hours of volunteering, and expand its remit to include those aged 14 to 34, for which there is a proven demand. It is also keen to provide further support for progression into employment.

CONTACT

Diane Cadman, CSV, 7 Thorne Road, Doncaster, Yorkshire DN1 2HJ. Tel: 01302 366199. E-mail: dcadman@csv.org.uk