I became a volunteer with the Youth Team when I was 14 years old. This came from attending the Youth Club from the age of 10 and then eventually taking on more responsibilities within the club. Every week I volunteered I took on a different role with the Young People. Some of these include registering, working on arts and crafts, playing board and computer games, helping out with sports and also reflecting at the end of the night.
This volunteering lead me on to becoming a Young Leader at the age of 16. During my time being a Young Leader I had lots of opportunities to take part in different types of training and meet new people. Some of those things were becoming a sports leader, doing Girls On The Move training, Young People Taking The Lead training, ILead training, First Aid training. I also supported the Youth Team during their summer programme and led the evaluation process for Young People during their residential.
Through all of this volunteering I completed a Platinum Youth Achievement Award which is the equivalent of an advanced higher in school.
Ever since I was in P6 and attending the Youth Club I knew that this is what I wanted to do when I was older. Right now I am a Youth Services Assistant with the Senior Phases and Youth Participation team, working in communities to run different programmes depending on what the community and Young People need. Without the process of becoming a volunteer I wouldn’t be where I am today and wouldn’t have thought that it was possible to do the job I do today.