09.06.05
Connexions Gives Backing to National
Year of the Volunteer
Connexions Cornwall and Devon has been encouraging young
people to use the recent National Volunteer Week and The Year
of the Volunteer to find out more about how volunteering can
help them get a foothold on the career ladder, whilst helping
other people at the same time.
The specialist youth careers and advice service for all 13
to 19 year olds hopes the Year of the Volunteer will help
to highlight how volunteering can help when it comes to gaining
valuable work and life experience.
Jenny Rudge, Chief Executive of Connexions Cornwall and Devon
explains: "As well as helping others, volunteering
opens up huge opportunities for young people to get involved
in jobs, training and activities they might never even have
considered trying. It's also a fantastic way to meet people
from all different walks of life, to gain valuable experiences
and build personal skills and confidence, whilst also helping
the local community. It's a great plus point when it comes
to job seeking too, we know future employers are very impressed
by young people who can add volunteering to their CVs."
Connexions work closely with organisations like the Millennium
Volunteers, Prince's Trust and local voluntary groups to match
up young people interested in volunteering with suitable placements.
In Cornwall, they have been working with the Cornwall Centre
for Volunteers, which has helped over 100 young people to
take up the Young Volunteer Challenge over the last two years.
Tom Whitworth, Connexions Operations Director with responsibility
for the Cornwall area, explains: "Industries like
sport, art and design, music and the media are particularly
hard for young people to get into without proven experience
and volunteering can be that first step on the career ladder.
Connexions also has evidence that volunteering really benefits
young people and helps them build confidence and improve skills."
One volunteer from the Cornwall Centre for Volunteers says:
"The Young Volunteer Challenge is probably the best
thing I've done in my life. I have just finished my training
to become a mentor."
Proving that volunteering helps your career, one young volunteer
took up the opportunity at a local leisure centre and certainly
made the most of it, they offered him a job! Another used
his experience as a volunteer pool supervisor to get a job
as a lifeguard and a young deaf volunteer used her young volunteer
challenge experience to gain a place at university.
To find out more about volunteering for young people visit
the Connexions web-site at www.connexions-cd.org.uk
or call the Truro/Bodmin/Pool Connexions office on 0800 9755111.
For further information please contact press officers Carolyn
Daw on 01822 833488 or 07866 697057, or contact Sylvia Burn
at Connexions on 01566 777672 or email: sylvia.burn@connexions-cd.org.uk.
The Objective One Programme for Cornwall
and the Isles of Scilly has invested in Jobcentre Plus through
the European Social Fund (ESF).
Editor's notes:
Connexions is the Government's specialist careers and advisory
service helping all 13-19 year olds to get into learning and
work. All young people have access to a Connexions Personal
Adviser whether that is through school or college, Connexions
information and advice centres or in youth or community groups.
Connexions Cornwall and Devon is the partnership delivering
the Connexions Service since April 2001. There are 47 partnerships
around the country. Connexions brings together all agencies
and voluntary groups to plan a coherent approach to services
for young people. The Connexions Service is allocated a grant
from the Department for Education and Skills.
For more information visit www.connexions-cd.org.uk
the local website or www.connexions.gov.uk
the national website.
Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439
cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk
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