Here at CVS Falkirk, we focus on the employment and employability of all people; this year we got involved with Career Ready, a program focusing on employing young people into an internship giving them an idea of the workplace. We have employed Kate for the month of June – July to help with volunteering opportunities and planning the Welcome to Falkirk event. Kate shared a bit about what its like to volunteer during school hours:
“I’m Kate, 16 and I am an S6 pupil. I am working at CVS Falkirk through an internship set up through my school, this offer was given to around 5 other people in my year and happens in many schools across Scotland. My internship is throughout 4 weeks of the summer holidays and focuses on Volunteering opportunities and planning an event for the local community.
Before working here at CVS, I was unaware of how many varied opportunities there is especially towards young people. If more people were aware of these opportunities, I believe they would volunteer as it’s a good way of building your CV, having experience in many different areas of work and helping people in the local community.
However, there are many chances to volunteer in school hours which still count massively towards volunteering and can be rewarded as saltire points. Becoming a prefect/house captain counts as volunteering as you are spending time helping others in the school, these hours can be logged on the saltire website and can add up to getting a certificate. Some schools including mine offers saltire as a subject to pupils giving them a chance to have dedicated volunteering hours in the school day.
The things my Saltire class have planned to do/done already is, help at the younger pupil’s sports day: helping to set up the activities, taking register or cheering on them at the side. We are also in charge of planning the prom for my year which includes keeping contacts with other organisations that will host it, informing the headteacher and the rest of the year or planning the venue. Saltire are also in charge of hosting fundraising events that happen throughout the year. All these activities happen within school hours and count towards the Saltire Awards.”
(Image captions: photos taken during the Welcome to Falkirk event, showing people of all ages walking around the venue and stalls, and participating in the activities; click on each photo for a bigger size.)
If you are interested in volunteering within school hours, talk to a principal teacher as they will be able to provide the correct information for your school.
If you are interested in volunteering out of school hours, contact Eve, our Development Officer for Volunteering, by email: Eve.Winters@cvsfalkirk.org.uk
