12th April
Young Volunteers across Bassetlaw, Bolsover, Doncaster and Mansfield involved in the Point of View (POV) project have been at the centre of production of a film and infographic sharing some of the key learning from POV.
Funded through the Arts Council England and DCMS for two years until March 2024, The Point of View project (POV) aimed to build new, strong and lasting relationships between young people, arts organisations and the wider voluntary community and social enterprise sector through volunteering and the arts. It aimed to put the voice and ‘Point of View’ of young people at the centre of all POV activities and was led by Bassetlaw Community and Voluntary Service (BCVS), in collaboration with Bassetlaw Action Centre, Centre Place, Inspire, Junction Arts, Mansfield CVS, Rhubarb Farm, South Yorkshire Community Foundation and Voluntary Action Doncaster,
Andria Birch, BCVS CEO today said ‘POV has been an incredible success, overachieving on all planned outcomes and outputs and going far beyond contracted targets of 100 new volunteering opportunities by involving 486 young people in volunteering. The positive impact on the lives of the young volunteers has been a privilege to witness and young people have in return affected positive change in the culture and practice of all POV partner organisations.
However our work doesn’t stop with the end of the initial phase of project funding. Key learning and messages will be shared with the wider sector in many ways over the coming months and the voices of young people involved in POV will continue to shape how BCVS and wider partners develop moving forwards. Our huge thanks goes again to all partners and young people who have poured their energy and time into making such a positive difference to the lives of young people and the wider sector.’
Please take a look at the POV infographic (add link to infographic here) and start to explore the answers to questions that have been developed with young people to support next steps. If you start to answer these questions as a VCSE organisation you will have the beginnings of an action plan that with further strengthen the involvement of young people in your organisation as volunteers, staff, trustees and service users.
The voices of some of the young people involved in POV can be heard directly in the POV film which is also linked through the infographic.
As part of next steps, BCVS will be supporting the young people’s voluntary advisory group to expand and take this work forward. It is an exciting opportunity to develop your experience in supportive environment, so if you are 18 to 24 and looking for a new challenge to boost your CV and help your community please get in touch with us at bcvs@bcvs.org.uk or ring 01909 476118.