vtalentyear 2009

The vtalent volunteer’s scheme has had many successes. It was a learning curve for everyone, both challenging and rewarding with everyone achieving and developing personally through the scheme. The scheme was and is, a great opportunity for young people to develop work based skills and experience and qualifications to gain future employment and go on to further training and volunteering.

Last years team did extremely well and made a difference in all the areas in which they volunteered. Many went on to other areas of work which include:

• Five have gained paid work with Bradford Council
• Six achieved NVQ 2 in children and young people’s development
• Nine achieved Open College Network (ONC) level 2 introductions to youth work
• One volunteer went to Jamaica for 3 months to do some more volunteering!
• Five continued doing further volunteering
• Two went into some unrelated work

Below are some profiles from the young people when they started on the scheme in 2009

Kashif Mahmood is 22 and from Heaton.

My hobbies are chilling with friends and brothers, going out to eat, reading up on history and comparable religions, cars and walking, snooker and to find ways to improve life style.

How did I do at school? Not so good – I wish I had concentrated more.

Before vtalent I was working for Iqra promotions, assistant managing their outlets in Sheffield. Also qualified in brickwork, I have done security work and CCTV work.

I was inspired to make a positive change with young people. I hope to get great valuable experience out of volunteering. I am working on difficult programmes within my placement to help make positive change with the young people and with myself.

I think my placement is great!! It sets your mind to go for something and go for it with your utmost!!

Aaron Quosnie lives in Huddersfield and is am currently living at home with my parents.

My hobbies are football, playing Playstation 3, using the internet and music.
Before I started vtalent I was studying at university and working part time as well as helping coach an under 11s football team on a Sunday.

The thing that inspired me to volunteer was the enjoyment I got from doing the coaching on a Sunday. Just being there and wanting to do it so they have something to do so that they are not bored and getting into trouble and also keeping active.

Volunteering has helped me understand which youth work interests me and what is needed to be a full time youth worker. I have also gained experience in this type of work and hope to gain more. This experience will also help me later on in life.

I am currently at Canterbury on placement and I organise pool tournaments, football games and socialise with the young people. I can also relate to them because I have been through some of the stuff they have.

I think the course is a good opportunity for young people who are interested in doing youth work because you can learn about it as well as going on placement.

The message I would tell young people is that if you are interested in youth work, the vtalent programme is a very good opportunity and will help you if you would like a career in youth work.

Lucy Sinfield is 21 and a single parent of two children.

I live with my boys in Ilkley and before I got onto the vtalent programme I was a stay at home mum.

I have always wanted to work with young people and my placement is based at a youth club and I have also worked at a kids club. Working with the older age group and seeing the issues surrounding them has inspired me to train as a sexual health worker.

Ian Ratnik is22 years old and a member of vtalent.

Before starting vtalent I worked full time in different jobs. My last job for 2 years was a kitchen planner at Magnet where I was made redundant back in December due to the economic recession.

After I left my last job, having worked with the public, I knew that was what I wanted to do. I tried volunteering by myself with a worker within the service and attended Bradford College doing a course in Health and Social Care. This proved very difficult because I had no money coming in and the hours I was doing meant it was difficult to find part time work with everything that was going on.

This is when my brother, a worker within the service, found out about a programme called vtalent. Vtalent offered participants who wanted to gain experience in a youth worker setting the change to gain valuable experience with young people and also gain an NVQ 2 at Bradford College. This was with the added bonus of getting expenses for travel and basic subsistence. This was a fantastic opportunity for me and incorporated everything into one.

When I started vtalent I was given a placement within the initiatives team doing outdoor education. On my placement I have helped deliver sessions such as kayaking, walking, team building games and many more different activities. My placement is district wide so I have worked with many young people form all over the Bradford district and from a broad range of backgrounds. I have also taken part in many residentials taking young people camping as well as to youth hostels and outward bound centres, mostly in the Lake District.

Sophie Smith was a stay at home mum before joining vtalent.

All I seemed to do was wash, cook and clean. At my local shop there was an advert asking for volunteers to work with a young person with autism. I did this for a while and I really enjoyed it. A friend passed on information about a 44 week programme called vtalent.

My placement is at the Inclusion Project. This is a service to children with disabilities. In my placement I do some office work as well as face to face work with young people. The Inclusion Project provides after school groups, fun days and summer schemes on school holidays.

I started volunteering as I was finding it hard to get back into work. What I hope to get out of my volunteering is experience, confidence and new skills, some of which I have come a long way in.

I think vtalent is a good opportunity for young people and has helped me a lot. I am studying an NVQ2 at College and have just finished Introduction to Youth Work Level 2. I have also been doing other training in-between.

The message I would give to young people is that vtalent is a good programme and will help you on your journey of your career. All the staff are great and will do everything they can to help and support you.