What is 'V'?
'V' is a government-financed nationally recognised organisation for 16-25 year olds who are, or wish to be- involved in volunteering in this country. It is run by professionals and university student volunteers, it involves a bit of form filling BUT this in itself is an activity many 6th formers can gain from practicing . Through the form filling, booklets, a website, local and school-based meetings 'V' does two main things:
1. Helps volunteers think about their volunteering [This is good preparation for writing UCAS/job applications and CVs and for interviews],
2. Gives recognised awards e.g. 50 & 150 hours [if you are already volunteering, you can backdate some of the hours you have done]
'V' also helps young people find volunteering opportunities through the linked "do-it" website and local organisations such as CVS
What 6th form volunteering could be registered with 'V'?
1. 6th formers have PDP [Personal development programme] on their timetable on Wednesday afternoons, this is something separate from their main subjects and from the tutorial programme, and it involves choice of activities that last at least a term. Some of these options count as volunteering because the others just or mainly benefit the 6th former involved.
The volunteering options 2008-2009 are: Community Sports Leadership Award, Gardening & Conservation Group, Link Group, Music Live, In-Class Support, student mentoring or Community Service. Of these PDP options the last is special because it is arranged individually, usually with another, out of school agency. Students choosing any of these options except the first can choose to register activity on it with "V"; the first, CSLA, is certificated separately [hours put in that are in excess of the number required for the CSLA certificate can be counted for 'V' certification].
2. 6th formers volunteer for various activities that benefit younger members of the school, most of this volunteering is co-ordinated by specialist 6th form staff and/or the Special Needs Department e.g. "The Liaison Team" (Yr7 and Yr8) are 6th formers who run activities in morning registration/tutorial time. "Paired Reading", many 6th formers with younger students to read with them in morning registration/tutorial time, various clubs and teams also have 6th form helpers. Students volunteering like this can choose to register this activity with 'V'.
3. 6th formers volunteer for various activities that benefit the 6th form community as a whole most of this volunteering is co-ordinated by specialist 6th form staff e.g. The Tuck Shop Team and the student card issuers run services that make money for 6th form events. Students volunteering like this can choose to register this activity with 'V'.
[Extra information: tuck shop team gives a small group of 6th formers total control and responsibility in running the tuck shop that makes money for 6th form events. The group also does nearly all the work involved in selling and supplying students.
student card issuers gives a small group of 6th formers control and responsibility in running the student card service that makes money for 6th form events. The group also does nearly all the work involved in advertising, selling and supplying student cards which bring some privileges to the holder.]
4. Short term projects that benefit the whole school and outsiders also use quite a lot of time of 6th form volunteers, regular ones include a variety of Charity Week organising activities and the Christmas Pantomime. The new "FUNd raising festival" in June is another example. Students volunteering like this can choose to register this activity with 'V'.
5. There are also short term projects, some very short term, which mainly benefit the school or students or parents or potential students and their parents, these use the time of 6th form volunteers e.g. Helping at open evenings, buddying 6th formers who are new to the school and showing round potential students and their parents. Students using a substantial amount of their time volunteering like this could probably choose to register this activity with 'V'.
6. Some 6th formers volunteer through school for one-off projects during holiday periods e.g. The oct2008 lighthouse project. Some ask school for help in arranging volunteer placements in their spare time in terms or holiday periods. Some are involved in such activities but this doesn't involve school in any way. Students volunteering like this can choose to register this activity with 'V'.
If you have any questions related to volunteering and 'v' please e-mail:
ps.mattam@huntington-ed.org.uk
(updated June 2009)