Volunteer

In 2014/15 Parasol’s inclusive Volunteering Project supported 35 young people aged 12+ for over 2900 hours of volunteering opportunities over a 14 week period.

Through our current membership and partnership with agencies referring young people this project included young people that were disabled, disadvantaged and vulnerable, young people that were in the looked after system, young carers, those at risk of exploitation, excluded from school, young offenders and/or young people who were victims of crime.

Parasol’s inclusive ethos enables us to create a supportive environment in which young people can be diverted from risky behaviours whilst gaining work related experience and improving social skills and self-confidence.

Our volunteer co-ordinator was responsible for recruiting and interviewing young people and providing them with opportunities and responsibilities appropriate to their abilities and interests. Parasol enablers assigned to the project provided targeted support to identified young people who would otherwise have struggle to participate.

Young people were designated as Role Models (Black T-shirts), Volunteers (Green T-shirts), Senior Volunteers (Yellow T-shirts) or Work Force (red T-shirts) depending on a number of factors such as age, experience, commitment and behaviour.

The structure of the volunteering programme was designed to allow young people to determine the pace and extent of their involvement with a view to sustaining their engagement.