Volunteering in local schools and in the community
Our pupils volunteer in several sectors - Charity Shops, Primary Schools, Food Banks, Nurseries and Secondary State Schools, food banks.
This is via our Thursday afternoon Activity sessions and Duke of Edinburgh awards. Also, our Global Social Leaders group.
Aims
Our students wanted the opportunity to go and help in the community. During the Thursday Activities programme an option for ‘Community Service’ was included. Pupils also volunteer as part of their Duke of Edinburgh awards (Bronze, Silver and Gold). We also have volunteering sessions during outdoor Week.
We want our pupils to enjoy and gain valuable experience of helping others and organisations in the community, while the organisations themselves are grateful for extra help.
Therefore primary and secondary schools benefit from our pupils’ help as well as Care Home residents, local Charity Shops, cafes, nurseries and our local Shrewsbury Museum. We also have a St Barnabas 360 BASE project.
Background
In 2014, we set up Volunteering as an activity choice for our Pupils. We sent out communications to local charitable organisations and schools and collated those who responded positively. The programme continues to evolve and expand.
Our Duke of Edinburgh Award schemes run each year and each pupils has to include an element of volunteering from 3 to 18 months.
Our Global Social Leaders team of pupils are involved with many aspects of Volunteering from the Food Bank Christmas Fair to the Refugee Homework Club.
Resources
Three of our teaching staff organise and manage the Volunteering as well as monitor success and outcomes. We provide an assembly early in our Michaelmas Term which includes staff from each of the placements.
Each Thursday afternoon, staff register the pupils in and out and taxis or minibuses are arranged for transportation.
We also have staff involved with Duke of Edinburgh volunteering.
Impact
We ask for feedback at each of the volunteering locations to ensure that we are providing quality help as required.
Our pupils, of course, gain a lot from volunteering - seeing the community and what a difference can be made from selfless actions.
Pupil Involvement
Approx 30 students from 5th and 6th forms are involved each year (aged between 15 and 18 years).
Approx 2 adults per placement are involved.
Our DofE award involves some 300 pupils, of whom probably 60-100 are doing weekly volunteering sessions.
Frequency
This is an ongoing popular activity which we aim to continue with. It takes place every Thursday afternoon in term time. Also, during our Outdoor Week in the Summer Term, pupils will be involved in many schemes of volunteering from helping to maintain Council paths to work days at the Shewsy in Liverpool.