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Thursday Aug 30, 2007

Working with YPRAG in doing thier YAA

Yesterday was an exhasting day for everyone involved.  We spent half of the group meeting working on filling out the 1st challenge of the Youth Achievement Award, which was all around meeting with Corporate Forum and the roles they took in delivering and the lead they took in this.  Even though I've had the training it was still difficult to ensure everyone filled out thier challenge appropriately.  Which they all did, very well at, I think once they fill out a couple more challenges then they will feel more comfortable in writing up there challenges.  Fingers crossed.

We then had the rest of the meeting which we used to evaluate where YPRAG was at and where it wanted to be in the future, the general feel of the group and what the members felt they got out of being part of the group.  Which wasn't too bad.  It was bit of relief from working on the YAA booklets!

So all in all I think it was a good start to using the booklets and everyone will get used to using them......Including ME!!!!  Start to work in my award group next week as I have to have a seperate award group, to the group I'm working with.

Anyway tomorow for all the work YPRAG have been doing lately were getting to go to South Shields Fair which should be fun!

So till next time

 

Posted by Moira ( 6:02 PM )
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Thursday Aug 23, 2007

FUNdraising week for Barnardos

Hey!

There has been a few things going on to raise money for Barnardo's this week so yesterday was well a silly day! You had to dress up in fancy dress which quite a few did.  There was a few witches and harry potters flying around (or if you've seen the  Simpsons Harry Plotters haha!) and yes flying well ok..... I didnt see them fly but they did have broomsticks!  I dressed up in my Ireland gear as I knew no one else would have that I found out the day before so it was a quick think to see what I could rummage up.  It was good laugh!

There was 'Bring and Buy' lunch which was great and 2 cakes were auctioned off too! And loads of other stuff like Guess the Baby's name; where there was pics of Management when they were younger and you had to see if you could guess who was who.

So that was part of my day the other part we came up with a plan of things to happen at the party meeting this evening and put that together.

I went through what I had done so far on my Youth Achievement Award and what had happened with the work Im doing with YPRAG too.  Seem to be all on track, looking forward to Wednesday when we do an evaluation of the group and look at putting together files for YPRAG's YAA.

 

Posted by Moira ( 8:00 PM )
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Friday Aug 17, 2007

Volunteer Management Training- Dare to Care

Hi again people!

On the 30th July I went to a Volunteer Management Training Day - 'Dare to Care' which was lead by Volunteer Management Guru Steve McCurley from the USA.  It was about developing your organisation for involvement of volunteers and Capacity building through your volunteers.

He talked to us about recuiting volunteers, interviewing volunteers, confidentiality, retaining volunteers, finding appropriate positions and where in the organisation you can have volunteers...which is practically everywhere  How you can lose volunteers interesting fact for you people.....'You can lose a volunteer in the first instance of making contact with them' if you don't get in touch as soon as possible and keep in touch you are likely to lose a volunteer, before they even start to volunteer.

We did a lot of group work too...Looking at your own role and how much time you spend on doing different bits and peices and where you could actually recruit volunteers, to do parts of the work you do within an organisation.

Do-it.org got a mention too

It was really a good day's training....

Posted by Moira ( 2:33 PM )
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YPRAG meet with Barnardo's NE Corporate Forum

Sorry for lack of entries!

Lets see where I left you last oh yes the YAA training....Well I think I've been putting it to good use....As this week we finally got the booklets needed for young people to do their Youth Achievement Award helps keep record of there challenges and Review them.  They came just at the right time too.....

This week I gave a presentation to Barnardo's Corporate Forum (In english that's- Regional bosses! hehe)  the presentation was on my Youth Achievement Award (YAA) which covered my final challenge of delivering a presentation about your award; which the members of Young People's Regional Advisory Group completed there presentation challenge also Oh its good when a plan comes together  

So as my award is on running the YAA itself it was a great way to explain what it was all about and see what they thought and explain how it was being run as a pilot study with the group and if Corporate Forum would have input when it came to evaluating it and what they thought of it after I explained all about the award.  I was nervous I tell you, but I did it.  The Young People's Regional Advisory Group completed theres by updating them on work the group has been doing in the region; everyone leading on there own parts that they've been involved with.  It was a good meeting all round I think. 

On the 29th we're having a review of the group and also using part of that day for the young people to put their files together properly, so I'm looking forward to that. 

 

Posted by Moira ( 2:10 PM )
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Thursday Aug 16, 2007

Wet and Muddy ...and still loving it!!

My new job is taking over my life, although i have never been happier, its a fantastic job and its taking up lots of my time - its just making it difficult for me to blog, sorry!!

So as well as starting a great new job, working with young homeless people getting them to volunteer, i have spent the summer at music festivals.

With the strange weather we have been having this summer, i suppose it wasnt too surprising that they have been really really wet and muddy. I have been told that Glastonbury wouldnt be the same without it - however after 5 days of constant rain and knee deep mud - my boyfriend and i decided that by Sunday, mud really wasnt that glorious after all and our beds and showers were calling us.

We had hoped that WOMAD would be slightly drier...we were wrong!! again knee deep mud and losing our wellies as they got stuck. At WOMAD similar to last year, as volunteers for Oxfam, we were asked to work on the accessible camping area, we quickly realised that mud and wheel-chairs don't go well together, by the second day half of the people using this area to camp in had gone home after struggling to get round the site on 4 wheels. It was really sad to see people leave and to keep a smile on our face while volunteering - making it even more important to remember that we were doing it for the fantastic cause, Oxfam (and the free tickets!!) 

Glastonbury despite being wet mainly attracted people who were happy to party in the rain and roll in the mud, we even had a number of rather drunk people who after having mud baths were keen to hug us ...we did our best to avoid this affection! I was responsible for supervising a team of 20 volunteers, keeping them happy and dry where possible, this was manic yet great fun - although after 8 hours standing in the rain it became a challenge to keep a smile on our faces!

Despite the rain, mud and moans i love festivals and will keep going back for more, remembering the difference we are able to make to Oxfam's work overseas.  

Posted by Helen Bryant ( 9:42 AM )
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