Last updated at 14:05, Wednesday, 16 May 2012

Community week is a brilliant idea. It gets Scouts involved in the community.

Julia Mullarkey

JAMES FERGUSON Explorer Scout and Scout Leader from Wetheral:
Bob-a-job was about knocking on doors and offering to do a job and the money would go towards Scout funds.

This week is about giving something back to the community without expecting something back in return.

It lets the community know that young people are doing something positive.

This is a different version of bob-a-job week and I think this idea should continue, as it brings the volunteering work of Scouts into the spotlight.

Scouts also do sponsored events throughout the year, from 24 hour walks to cycle rides to raise money for charity.

I’m volunteering as a Scout leader because I’m a Scout and there were plenty of leaders for me when I was younger.

It is helping my leadership skills and giving me confidence and opportunities.

This is me giving back and sharing my experiences.
 

DON MCCUTCHEON commissioner for Reivers District Scouts: 
I remember digging gardens, cleaning shoes and painting fences when I was a Scout during bob-a-job week.

One house I went to gave me £1 for cleaning shoes – which was good for 1973. There was a few of us and we’d knock on doors and share jobs. As time went on we took on bigger jobs in teams and leaders would come with us – as the fear issue of child safety came into play.

It was the principle fundraising effort in years gone by.

It has never really gone away but groups rely on other means of funding, such as bag packing in supermarkets now.

This week is not about raising funds for ourselves though but putting ourselves out in the community.

People can have the misconception that every young person is a hoodie and this lets the community know that young people shouldn’t be feared and do a lot of good work.

We are also filling in the potholes on the track to our campsite near Kirkandrews-on-Eden.
 

JULIA MULLARKEY Carlisle Youth Zone service development manager:
It’s essential to have a celebration of what young volunteers contribute.

Some of them just want to contribute their time and don’t want to be part of a big organisation.

Others just want to participate and maybe underestimate what they’re doing.

There are children who have specific skills they want to share or their own ideas of what they want to do.

We listen to young people and what they want to do.

There are so many positives.

They progress with personal development and it increases their self-esteem.

They’re not forced to do it and it’s not about getting awards.

Volunteering when you’re young can mean that they go on to volunteer when they’re older. They’re the next generation of volunteers.

They’re developing life-long skills.

It’s a good idea to draw attention to volunteering for a week as long as the young people who volunteer for the other 51 weeks of the year aren’t forgotten about.
 

JUDITH HOLMSHAW Cumbria Council for Voluntary Services’ county volunteering coordinator:
This week is a fantastic opportunity for everyone as it gets them involved at a young age.

We see people of all ages who want to volunteer and a lot of young people.

They see that they can make a difference.

A lot are young people aged 19 to 25, who are students, want to volunteer to get experience or they might be mothers, unemployed or retired and want to give something back.

It is a two way process, they get so much out of it.

People aren’t always aware of the types of opportunities available.

Volunteering can involve administration work, being a youth worker or carer.

It can open doors.

A lot of people who try it out once get the passion for volunteering.

Having a week of community volunteering helps to bring attention to it and will be something that they are likely to continue.

It is very relevant to society.

First published at 11:27, Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk