Three Cheers For Volunteers!

On Friday 2 June, and as part of Volunteers’ Week 2006, Volunteer Centre Fife hosted a Fife-wide showcase of youth volunteering at the Swallow Parkway Hotel in Kirkcaldy.

This was an afternoon of performances and talks by young people, aged between 11 and 25, who entertained us with a selection of interesting talks about their diverse and positive experiences of volunteering.

The aim of the showcase was to encourage more voluntary organisations in Fife to work with and recruit young volunteers. The event was about demonstrating the positive energy, creativity and enthusiasm that young people can offer.

John Murray, a former National Volunteer of the Year himself, opened the event and said a few words about value of youth volunteering before introducing the first act – State of Emergency. The music group from Kirkcaldy YMCA performed three songs, two of which they had written themselves about their experiences of being out of work. The band were fantastic and we are pleased to confirm that they will make a further appearance at another of our events later in the year.

David Nicolson spoke bravely and poignantly of his experiences of being bullied at school because he has Asperger’s Syndrome. He also gave a very interesting talk about the work of the Levenmouth Teenage Youth Association where he currently volunteers. You can read his speach here.

Nicola Gaffney volunteers with the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts Movement and turned up on the day in full regalia. Unfortunately, she wasn’t well enough to give her own talk but a member of Volunteer Centre Fife read her well thought out speech on her behalf. You can read her speach here.

Emily spoke about her volunteering experiences with HomeStart Locgelly and introduced us to some of the other young volunteers who had come along. The speach can be read here.

Millennium Award certificates were presented to young volunteers by Robbie Collins, our Fife Young Volunteer of the Year 2005, who himself gave a very moving speech about how his volunteering with the Princes Trust had changed his life, which can be read here. Certificates awarded were for 50, 100 and several 200 hours.

Eck Berry a participant of the Princes Trust talked about his volunteering at Fife Furniture Plus and introduced his co-participant, Dean Kerry who does voluntary football coaching at Balwearie High School. A short film made by the Princes Trust youngsters about the work of the Trust was then shown. This was a glowing example of the resourcefulness and skills that many young people possess. Thier speaches can be read here and here.

The afternoon concluded with a workshop on How to Attract, Engage and Work with Young People. A copy of the handouts and useful information can be obtained from Linda Turnbull, Youth Development Worker by e-mailing youth@volunteeringfife.org or telephoning 01592 412369.

The event was extremely well attended and was a testament to the recognition of the positive contribution that young people can make to local organisations. A full copy of the speeches will be available soon on our website at www.volunteeringfife.org