[The Education Select Committee]

The Education Select Committee at the House of Commons is conducting an inquiry into what services are provided for young people aged 13 to 25 outside school, and wants to hear from young people.

Do you volunteer in your community and what do you do? What do you get from volunteering – for instance, a sense of achievement, a qualification or experience to help you get a job? What do you think would encourage more young people to volunteer in their community?

Parliament wants your view!

The Committee is conducting an inquiry into what services are provided for young people (aged 13 to 25) outside school and has teamed up with The Student Room to ask about your experiences.

Committee Chair Graham Stuart MP explains:

Please see our other threads and get your views across!

What out-of-school activities do you do and where?

Would a summer programme for 16 year olds leaving school interest you?

If you were in charge, how would you spend money for young people in your area?

[No Future]

I used to volunteer, until I realised I'd have to pay for uni myself, so I got a paid job. I don't have time to volunteer. When I'm not at uni, I work to pay for the next term/year.

[laura_*]

I volunteer at my local hospital in a clinic. I sort patients notes and book them in for their appointments. I am doing this as a way of helping me to gain a place at university to study social work - I have two offers starting in september

[juliewho]

I volunteered for arthritis research UK for a year. I did it because my school didn't give me work experience and it's really competetive for jobs, so i figured i'd give myself an advantage with the experience and picked a charity that I approve of the work of. I'm now looking for a paid job but really want to start volunteering with the Rainbows and Brownies, because there isn't a befriending scheme for youngsters with disabilities in my area :/

[Syrus]

I have worked for two years now, at my local community theatre. It was shut down by the local council in 2007, then re-purchased and opened in late 2008.

I've worked in varying departments; from admin and box office, through to technical and certain parts of management.

I have thoroughly enjoyed it, though have taken hiatus recently, due to increasing college work loads.

Have found it really rewarding!

[PurpleNinja]

I volunteer in school to an extent (I tutor year sevens in maths) I really enjoy maths and I love how my maths child has really grown confident with her sums. I hope I've installed some of my enthusiasm for the subject in her :P

I'm also a Voluntary Leader with the Cubs ( though I've done a little with the Beavers). We've got such a mad mix it can be hard to control them all, but when we do get work underway, it is really worthwhile. I've been offered places on first aid courses and have attended walks due to being a leader, and I really enjoy working with them.

Finally, I do some work with Disability sport in my area (for children). I've met some really lovely children, and I've learnt how to diffuse some really nasty situations. I'm only very new to this, but I enjoy the work we do, and I'm friends with lots of the kids. (I'm a big softie, and they can tell :P)

I really enjoy volunteering, so I try to do a lot of it Recently I started the Millennium Award scheme and this has given me more motive to do more hours

[E_Blackadder]

I'm no longer in school, but I wish I was able to have got more into volunteering when I was.

Since school I have done a handful of things in volunteering in the community. I just wish I had more time to do so.

Back in school I never had any information about that stuff. The thought of "volunteering" sounded a bit geeky or religious and the sort of thing only cubs/beevers/scouts would do. I have no doubt that had i been better educated, perhaps even dragged along (!) to some volunteer work it would have opened my eyes and i'd have loved it and wanted to get more involved.

To say I never had the chance is wrong, I bet there were loads of chances I just needed to be shown them and I wasn't about to go and find them for myself.

[ily_em]

I volunteer in Oxfam; at first it was for my Duke of Edinburgh's Award but I've stayed because I enjoy it and I like helping. Not sure I'd have started without DofE though

[TheGrandmaster]

I volunteer by coaching basketball for kids aged 6 - 10. I do it partly because it looks good on CVs and applications and partly because I think it's good for children to participate in sports and basketball is one that most British children don't get a chance to play properly.

[duck6]

I'm a volunteer cub leader, I really enjoy the mix of kids we get and the way that young children view the world. At times it can be very hard to control the group but when a child tells you they've had a good time on a camp or trip out it makes all the planning and time you've put into it worth it.

[Eliiciiaaarrr!]

I'm 17, aaaanddd I volunteer for a local charity that supports families who are affected by HIV & AIDS. I started volunteering there because I was bored in my summer holidays & wanted to do something constructive...but I actually really enjoyed it & have been there for nearly 2 years ! (: x

[adders92]

im 18 and have been a voluntary youth worker in the past , whilst volonteering for the youth service i helped run the studio and encouraged younger children to come to terms with expressing there anger into music , coming to terms with the computer software , writing lyrics and composing music, i feel the youth service helps a lot of children stay out of trouble and make stuff out of their time instead of stood on street corners loitering

[missbanana21]

I'm 16 and I volunteer as part of my local Youth Council, and am also a member of its sub-group that deals with drug issues. The long-term aim of this sub-group is to train its members to be able to deliver peer-led drugs education in schools and therefore to recruit other young people to the group. As part of this group I am also undertaking a Youth Achievement Award at Gold level which is equivalent to a Scottish Higher.

Additionally, I also volunteer for Yes! To Fairer Votes: this is useful because it allows me to gain experience campaigning for a political cause which I feel strongly about. I want to study Politics/International Relations at university so being involved in politics is very important.

[Annora]

I'm at university. I volunteer with Action for Blind people, working with blind and visually impaired children. I also work for Nightline at university and as a ward volunteer at my local hospital.

There's a sense of achievement and motivation in working with vulnerable people that I don't get working for myself at university.

[Fandabidoze!]

No, I'm not. I don't feel passionate enough for anything to volunteer in and I wouldn't volunteer somewhere random.

[Cityshy]

I volunteer on the surgical ward of a local hospital. This teaches me a lot about my intended career as a Doctor, as well as giving me a sense of satisfaction at helping others who are in need, so it's a win-win situation for both me and the hospital

[aodhan m]

I am a volunteer in Calderdale, and i was a member of V project. I am very upset, because of the cuts in budget our project has finished. I am struggling to understand why this has happened , because V project helped me in many ways, including; built my confidence, made new friends, helped my CV, introduced me to opportunties to get involved in things i never knew about before, it enhanced my skills to enable me to get a job and gave me skills in presentations and gave me the opportunity to travel. Please please please give us our project back - to give other young people the chance to experience the same opportunities as me.

[moonfly]

I volunteer at a local farm, where I help at the shop and feed and check sheep, calves and some other animals. I have guided people around the farm, and am there about once a week, more in the summer. I also volunteer in a vet practice at least once a week, for Puppy Parties (socialisation for puppies who can't go on walks yet) and to help out generally. This can involve working on reception, sorting out medication, unpacking orders, assisting with animal care, cleaning kennels and surfaces and also observing and assisting in operations and consultations. I also volunteer with the Wiltshire Assembly of Youth, and help make decisions that will affec the young people of the rest of the county. I am a member of its environment sub group, and various boards and groups across the county.

[Golly-Gosh]

i volunteer as a teacher assistant because i want to become a teacher, and since my degree had nothing to do with education, i need experience-apparently. so im opting out to do one yr volunteering and then apply for my PGCE.

[KJane]

I volunteer at a local youth group for girls ages 4-16. I do a wide range of things, cleaning up, setting things up for them, leading them in games or activites or just sitting with them making conversation and helping them. I love doing it and will really miss it when I leave for university.

I'm spending my weekend taking 21 of the 7-10 year old girls bowling tomorrow then back to the church (where the youth group is held) for a sleepover after watching a film and cooking for them all, then entertaining them until sunday afternoon.