titantoo
02-12-2005, 04:58 PM
Millions sign up for service in Britain's volunteer army
Anushka Asthana
Sunday February 6, 2005
Observer
Record numbers of people in Britain are giving up their spare time to help society. More than half the population, an astonishing 26 million people, participate in some form of voluntary work with more than 11 million working on formal schemes. One million extra people sign up every year, and it has been estimated that volunteers are worth over £40 billion a year to the economy. The government has named 2005 the Year of the Volunteer, and Gordon Brown has called for a new kind of 'national service' with teenagers using gap years to volunteer. Here Anushka Asthana plugs into this revolution that is transforming the country and providing fulfilment for those who sacrifice precious leisure time in a good cause. She meets some of these helpers to find out why they are doing it and identifies the 10 most popular volunteers activities.
Anthony Williams, 30, from South Wales, as a prisoner works on a pre-release volunteer scheme.
Commitment: 3 days a week
I work on a day-release pilot scheme at Parc Prison in Bridgend, Mid-Glamorgan, which aims to help prepare people for release.
We do all sorts of work, such as building walls and putting fences up. We have made an old house with a picnic area accessible for wheelchairs.
It has helped me to build trust. I really enjoy it. I meet new people and it is lovely to give something back.
I am also 'a listener' in the prison, trained by the Samaritans to offer a confidential advice service to anyone who wants to talk. I like to think that if anyone I knew ever ended up in jail there would be someone in there for them.
We have won an award for the CSV Make a Difference Day for making charts to help people who have suffered from a stroke to communicate.
Contacts: CSV prisoner pre-release volunteering scheme www.csv.org.uk (http://www.csv.org.uk); the Groundwork Trust groundwork.co.uk (http://www.groundwork.co.uk)
Anushka Asthana
Sunday February 6, 2005
Observer
Record numbers of people in Britain are giving up their spare time to help society. More than half the population, an astonishing 26 million people, participate in some form of voluntary work with more than 11 million working on formal schemes. One million extra people sign up every year, and it has been estimated that volunteers are worth over £40 billion a year to the economy. The government has named 2005 the Year of the Volunteer, and Gordon Brown has called for a new kind of 'national service' with teenagers using gap years to volunteer. Here Anushka Asthana plugs into this revolution that is transforming the country and providing fulfilment for those who sacrifice precious leisure time in a good cause. She meets some of these helpers to find out why they are doing it and identifies the 10 most popular volunteers activities.
Anthony Williams, 30, from South Wales, as a prisoner works on a pre-release volunteer scheme.
Commitment: 3 days a week
I work on a day-release pilot scheme at Parc Prison in Bridgend, Mid-Glamorgan, which aims to help prepare people for release.
We do all sorts of work, such as building walls and putting fences up. We have made an old house with a picnic area accessible for wheelchairs.
It has helped me to build trust. I really enjoy it. I meet new people and it is lovely to give something back.
I am also 'a listener' in the prison, trained by the Samaritans to offer a confidential advice service to anyone who wants to talk. I like to think that if anyone I knew ever ended up in jail there would be someone in there for them.
We have won an award for the CSV Make a Difference Day for making charts to help people who have suffered from a stroke to communicate.
Contacts: CSV prisoner pre-release volunteering scheme www.csv.org.uk (http://www.csv.org.uk); the Groundwork Trust groundwork.co.uk (http://www.groundwork.co.uk)