14th March 2008, 08/66
Volunteering deserves a gold medal
Young sports enthusiasts who have given up their time
volunteering across West Lancashire are to be thanked under an
awards scheme.
West Lancashire District Council’s Sports Development and
partners including West Lancashire Council for Voluntary Service,
Lancashire Constabulary, Connexions and West Lancashire Crisis
Centre currently support - the independent charity set up to
inspire young people to volunteer.
The Council’s innovative Sports Development Team have set up
their own volunteering opportunities within the leisure and sports
industry to encourage teenagers aged between 16 and 25 to join.
A number of people have signed up to the scheme and help out
with everything from sports coaching and refereeing to helping out
at youth clubs or supporting competitions.
These young people do a fantastic job and some of them have now
completed their 200 hours service, so they are to be recognised at
a special certificate presentation on 18th March.
Cllr Rob Bailey, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, said:
"This is a great initiative which gives participants new skills,
confidence, shows dedication, can help further their careers within
the competitive leisure industry and allows them to meet new
friends and share good practice. They do a remarkable job in
volunteering their services and the Sports Development Team and
their partners should be thanked for running such an excellent
scheme. There are plenty of volunteering opportunities so why not
join."
In one successful case, a young person from the Crisis Centre
who was facing great challenges in their life and living at the
Centre enrolled on the V volunteering scheme and
since completing it has started sports qualifications at college
and is furthering their career.
So if you want to reach your potential and help youngsters reach
theirs through sport and leisure, please contact Michael Connell,
Sports Development Volunteering Co-ordinator on 01695 728905 or
07742779343 or visit our sports development pages
Related information
> Leisure
and tourism