This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Changing lives through volunteering
17/05/2005
Young Scots who want to change their lives and help
change the lives of others by volunteering, have a new way
to realise their aspirations from today.
ProjectScotland, a ground-breaking portal through which
young people will access hundreds of full time volunteering
opportunities - in the environment, new media and arts,
education, sports or health - has been formally
launched.
Heralded by First Minister Jack McConnell as a first for
Scotland and the UK, ProjectScotland gives 16-25 year olds
a chance to get involved, contribute to the community and
help them to make the key choices in their lives.
Young people have the opportunity to sign up to a
volunteering placement of their choice lasting anything
from three to twelve months. To ensure access to young
people from all backgrounds, volunteers are offered an
allowance and travel expenses.
Mr McConnell said:
"Scotland's young people are amazing. Everywhere I go in
the country I see young Scots making a massive difference
to their communities. I see young Scots with a sense of
ambition, drive and creativity that was not always obvious
in Scotland before. I see young Scots doing incredible
things at school, at university or college and in our
businesses.
"ProjectScotland will give our young people more
choices, more opportunities to succeed. It will mean that
Scotland will lead the UK in youth volunteering. It will
mean that taking time out to help others can become a
choice for all of our young people - not just those who can
afford to. I am determined to make it a permanent
option.
"ProjectScotland's potential is almost limitless. Over
the next 15 years, thousands of volunteers will help others
across the country. Thousands of lives will be touched.
Thousands of lives changed. ProjectScotland is a special
chance for our country and our young people to show the
world what kind of place Scotland wants to be. I wish them
well."
Julia Ogilvy, ProjectScotland Chair said:
"ProjectScotland was born out of a realisation that
regardless of background, young people in Scotland want to
contribute to their community and at the same time they
want to benefit from the experience by acquiring new
skills, confidence and career opportunities.
"Every community in the country could potentially
benefit - whether through a project in the local area or
through local young people getting involved."
ProjectScotland will:
- Recruit 450 volunteers from the 16-25 age group in
its first year, rising each year
- Take a modular approach, with volunteers
undertaking placements of between 3 and 12 months in
length
- Pay a subsistence allowance and expenses to
volunteers
- Allow the volunteers to apply for funding at the
end of their project to "open doors" for future
opportunities such as education, training and business
start-ups
- Source private sector investment and support
Iain Robertson, Chief Executive of ProjectScotland said:
"Our marketing campaign will seek to highlight the
commitment of young people who want to change their lives
and the lives of others, and boost the numbers of young
people who want to become involved in volunteering.
"ProjectScotland's role is to help and support young
volunteers and expand the range of full time opportunities
available. We hope that the ProjectScotland brand will
increasingly be recognised by volunteers, the voluntary
sector and employers throughout the country.
"We know that employers look for young people with life
skills and a self starter attitude. We have no doubt that
these companies will see ProjectScotland volunteers as
committed and capable young people."
Stuart Cosgrove, Director of Nations & Regions for
Channel 4 said: "Young people in Scotland are our greatest
asset and source of future wealth. We need to make sure
that more young people contribute to the overall ambitions
of Scotland and its people across every sector of our
society."
Some of ProjectScotland's first placements include a new
media focussed M'n'M Project, part of 'Please Stand Up' at
Barrhead, and film production at Levenmouth YMCA in Fife.
Other placements that will be coming on stream during the
first year include 'Active ER' which promotes physical
activity amongst children.
ProjectScotland proceeds on the basis that volunteers
should not be out of pocket as a result of volunteering
full time. While a ProjectScotland volunteer is on a
placement they will be offered a subsistence allowance of
£55 per week unless they stand to lose certain benefits. In
which case volunteers may continue to receive those
benefits.
It is a unique partnership between the public, private
and voluntary sectors, established in response to a demand
from young people to play an active role in their
communities, broaden their horizons and enhance their
experiences.