Let's face it, most people who volunteer are passionate about helping people - but for some influencing social change is also important. Volunteering for a campaigning organisation allows volunteers to help make things happen for large charities. Find out what the grass roots activists get up to here.

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Tuesday Oct 31, 2006

Vol Opps!!!!

Well when you've got time on your hands what do you do check out do-it.org website.  So thats what I've been doing and using it lol.

Seriously I need something to do so don't know why didnt think of it before this but was chatting to Ashlee, telling her what I was up to or not up as the case may be haha!  That I was possible looking for something else to do other than my current volunteer role at Barnardos (Dont worry guys! I will still be volunteering at Barnardos just need something to fill my week up a bit!!!). So anyway Ashlee suggested to me to check out the do-it.org website and see what they have.  Dont know why I didn't think of it before that DOH!

So I checked out the site going for my local area and picked a volunteer opp that dont know now if its for me or not! 

But it's got me back in touch with my local volunteer Bureau and im gonna chat to them about volunteer opps I can do.  Plus been talking to my link for the Millenium Volunteers and shes got her thinking cap on, for what I can do.  Cause it might having something to do with volunteering on the same thing for 2years with the odd different one chucked in! But seriously  I have no idea what to do as well-rather put as well cause Im not leave good olde Barnardos just adding to my volunteering opps!!!!!  And my CV and ohh I dont know all that other stuff haha!!! If you volunteer at all you know what I mean!

So anyway thanks doit.org for the opps and thanks to Ashlee for suggesting it :P

I'll keep you updated as to what happens next.  Think couple of meeting with one from Millenium vols and the Volunteer Breau is next on the agenda.

And I will still be volunteer at Barnardos just need to fill my week up a bit so there will be more to come from them too!

 

Posted by Moira ( 12:21 PM )
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Friday Oct 27, 2006

R U gettin It?

Hey!!! How cool was the VIP's? hehe  VIP stands Volunteering In Participation

Yesterday was the social work training day 'R U Gettin It?' and well lets just say that our workshop was fab even if I do say so myself, so before I get into what happened can I just say well done to myself and Jonathan (hehe no praise like self praise) and to the other young people who are part of Barnardos Young People's Regional Advisory Group (YPRAG) and Barnardo's Young Volunteers Group 'The PARTY!' who helped us deliver the workshop, big thankyou to you all we couldnt of done it without you, hope you enjoyed it!!!

The workshop was to 2nd and 3rd year social work students and students studying for thier Masters in Social Work, studying at I think it was Durham and Sunderland universities.  The idea of the whole training day from the way we've looked it is to improve the social workers for the future and for young people to tell them how it is for them and to inform them on what its like for young people and then for them to feedback on how they think they can make a difference to children and young people and their families when they become social workers.

6 workshops were all ran 6 times throughout the day.  Long day I was knackered!!! Even went to bed really early plus bout half way through the day I was ill which didnt help.  I cant really talk about the other 5 workshops as I was busy running the VIP workshop which myself and Jonathan planned since May.  And after yesterday I think our hard work paid off! 

The workshop was facilitated by myself and Jonathan and we had 5 other young people help us deliver the workshop all of whom are part YPRAG and The PARTY!

The training we delivered was done in a fun and participatory way! We had a warm up execise which got people moving and gave some interesting facts about children and young people-wonder if any of them remember them hope so.

We had an intro to Barnardos- who they were and what Barnardos do

We did a Papersuit exercise which students had to make a suit out of rolls of paper and then they were given a question- students were split into 4 groups Questions they had to answer were:-

1)What is volunteering?   2) What is Participation?

Which the young people who came help us by delivering these parts

Then Jonathan and I finished with a powerpoint presentation on Barnardos and about volunteering and participation.  Feedback we had was really positive they said it kept them going, it was really interesting and they enjoyed doing something.  Also they found out about what we ourselves thought about participation,volunteering and barnardos for us personsally which they said was really interesting insteaad of listening to statistics all the time, although we did give them some statistics too-in the icebreaker exercise which was fun!!!!

So all, in all we had a great day!

 

 

 

Posted by Moira ( 4:56 PM )
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Thursday Oct 19, 2006

Barnardo's AGM and debate in Parliment in London

Hi everyone, an exciting entry this week I think!!

Myself and another young person (who is also a young volunteer)from Barnardo's were asked to take part in Barnardo's Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Right where to start....Tuesday 17th October at 6AM everything is packed the night before so head straight off to the airport, as soon as am ready.  Then when we went to check in I knew that the security was tight so when we checked in the lady on the checkin desk said to me I didnt need to check my bag in that it was fine.  I mentioned to her about the security and about how you werent allowed to take certian things on board but she said to me no, you'll be fine no need to do that anymore, you can take it on board with you.  So please bare in mind I was more than willing to check my bag in there and then.  I was with 2 other people from Barnardos North East and she took thier bags as theirs was a lot bigger than mine.  And to be fair it never crossed my mind to put stuff in there bags but wh would when you get told its fine now.  So we go through security, and who gets stopped....Moira, he goes through my bag and takes my toothpaste, deodrant, now  I know its his job but it could be made loads easier if they had of let me check it in when I was going too!  Luckily Hazel lent me some toothpaste and deodrant,. Although I dont think they're going to let me forget that I had it taken off me (haha!!)

So eventually we got to London we have to get the train from the airport to as to Tavistock hotel as we can get, then we only have time to check in dump all our bags in 1 room then head straight to the venue for the AGM.  When we get to the AGM we're starving and we knew that we would get lunchas long as we got thier on time so as usual Moira doesnt notice any1 when she starving and just head straight for the food!  It doesnt stop there though Neera and Julianna the ladies looking after Jonathan and I explained to us what was going to happen.  Neera looked after us for going to parliment and explained what was going to happen there, and Julianna looked after us at the AGM. 

So AGM first;  we sat and watched a play on Poverty by young people from Yorkshire which was really fab. We also had a speech from David Barnardo where he explained he was stepping down as Chairman this year.  Then we listened to what the Martin Narey Cheif Exective of Barnardos UK vision for the future was.  Then came Question Time- where Jonathan an I sat up on stage with David and Martin and answered questions from the audience some of which were on young volunteers.  So it was great opportunity to talk about 'The PARTY!' and 'The V FACTOR' which both Jonathan and I talked about, dont ask how many times I mentioned the word 'V FACTOR'.  They all got invited though!

After some questions from the audience we then got whisked away in a taxi to Parliment where both Jonathan and I took part in a debate on Child Poverty where we talked about what it was like living in our areas in our situations.  Which were both different which they said was really good to see.  My bit was around living in a rural area with a disability.  We were only suppsoe to speak for 5minutes I think but think we went slightly over.haha!  Was interesting being at Parliment we then met with the MP for Hartlepool who showed us around and took us for tea.  Really special treatment as we went to places in there that normally wouldnt be allowed.

Then we went off again this time not to do any speaking but for a treat to watch 'Footloose' at the theatre, it was difficult to get into at first but was really great.  Was worth watching.  Great craic so it was!  Then we went for a meal across the road from the theatre which needed badly but was really difficult to eat as we were so so tired!  Seens as we were up from 6 that morning (hehe) we got to bed about 12.30 i think

Then the next day wasnt as hectic we got up and went shopping.  We went to Harrods and whoa you need to be rich to go in there me thinks! but at least i can say ive been to Harrods  Then we went for something to eat then got train back to Newcastle then I went to bed about 8 and slept til 9.30 this morning.

So all in all we had a really busy 2 days which was great and can I just say thanks to Hazel for taking us down to London and for all her help-including her toothpaste etc ; ) haha!  Thanks Hazel

And today i decided to just chill!

 

Posted by Moira ( 1:10 PM )
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Wednesday Oct 11, 2006

V Factor

Right so here is how the V Factor is running........And it is literally RUNNING THIS WEEK!!!!

WANT TO ATTEND THE V FACTOR GET IN TOUCH!!!!!

• What have you learned about recycling through organising the show?

Im still learning haha!!!  Its made me think a bit more about what I could recycle and what I actually do recycle I think.

• How are the young people getting on with the designs? - Are any of them focusing on current trends/high end fashion

We havent given a theme for people to follow exactly; the only thing we ask is that it is recycled.  We have involved the 'Barnardos Shops' allowing participants of the fashion show to go into a Barnardos shop and to pick up to 6items they would want to use for thier outfit, and to jazz the outfit up and put their own mark on their outfit.  We've also got materials kindly again donate by the Barnardo's NE shops, for people to rummage through at our workshops.

• Are any of them working on outrageous designs?

So far form what Ive heard and seen which isnt all the entries- I believe we may have some outfits to represent different cultures-which im looking forward to seeing.  Another outfit I cant wait to see is 1 group are revamping a pair of jean shorts(They group recieved them as a pair of shorts but, they used to be a pair of jeans!! Recycle, recycle!Ha!!!)The top thier working on -was having a pair of wings attached to it last I seen it, so should be interesting!! There group name for the event is Barnardo's Butterfly wonder if thats just a HUGE hint.

• Have you had interest from males and females - do they have different approaches/do they work together?

We're not really getting interest from males to enter into the fashion show(IF THEY WANT TO ENTER THEY MORE THAN WELCOME!!!)  The fellas are helping out with other things though, and you never we might still get some interested.What do you reckon guys, want to show off your hidden talents?

• How are you promoting the show? 

We are promoting The V FACTOR by getting as many Barnardos services, and in Barnardos Shops around the North East.  We're also promoting it at the venue we're holding it at-The LIFE Centre in Newcastle.   YES Folks in NEWCASTLE, In the North East, so if you fancy attending let us know.  Tommorow we're going to advertise even further on the display board as you come into NE Regional Office showing part of some of the designs and advertise THE PARTY!' further too cant forget that!!!!

• Have you worked with any other organisations on the show, or borrowed skills from people.

 We've tried to get as many young peoples organisations involved in this event as well as schools within the North East.  We're also giving them the opportunity to advertise what they do at the event.  One of which is MV's (Millenium Volunteers for those that dont know)! We're also having a photograher there to take some pics that we also had for the B'OSCARS!

Arrrggggghhhhhh I hope we dont run out of time!!!!!!!!!

Whoa do you know I think this has helped me get it straight in my head whats happening and where we're at NOW with The V FACTOR! haha!!! (Till tomorrow haha!)Do you think Ive mentioned The V FACTOR enough? haha!!!!!! :P

Posted by Moira ( 9:30 PM )
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Tuesday Oct 10, 2006

End of the Road

i actually reached the End of the Road a few weeks back, i have just been so busy job hunting since that i havent got round to letting you know how i got there! End of the Road is a fantastic new music festival that was launched for the first time this year. The bonus of it being a very new and hardly heard of festival meant that  there was only  1,500  festival goers,  enjoying the fantastic music and  gardens  with the local peacocks!  This made our role as Oxfam stewards,  very easy compared to the larger festivals like Glastonbury. Being a new festival it certainly had its teething problems to keep us busy, but was friendly enough for musicians to mix with the punters - i even got a hug and kiss from Badly Drawn Boy and went to a IM FROM BARCELONA secret gig (if you havent heared of them, keep your eyes out - they are likely to be the next big thing, im already a huge fan!). Following my success of looking after people in wheelchairs at other festivals i found myself again on the platform for disabled people, however it turned out that there wasnt a wheelchair on site, so this left me with not much else to do but enjoy the bands on the main stage.  While doing a  late shift on the Sunday night, i was thankfully moved before i fell asleep and was kept awake chatting to punters and making sure they didnt fall into the gardens pond or get lost in the woods. having told some friends about how great stewarding at festivals was i was able to convince some friends to join us, they came and also had a fantastic time ...showing that word of mouth is deffinitly one of the best forms of volunteer recruitment!

Posted by Helen Bryant ( 5:07 PM )
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