Concerns over youth offending and the devastation caused by the summer floods are contributing to an ongoing rise in the number of people taking action in their local community through leading UK volunteering and training charity CSV.
The claim comes as CSV publishes its Annual Review this week (week of 5th November 2007). A record 230,000 volunteers took part this year in projects to help boost their communities with CSV.
The report highlights new initiatives such as ‘Clear Track’ that CSV wants to help revolutionise the Government’s approach towards cutting youth offending. This residential scheme works with young people at risk of short-term custodial sentences and looks to secure a future away from crime through vocational training and community work as well as face-to-face support from volunteer mentors.
There was also an unprecedented response to the devastation caused by the South Yorkshire and South Midlands floods. Thousands of people called the CSV Action Network at BBC local radio stations to give a helping hand by donating their time, as well as replacement beds or fridge freezers, to the relief effort.
Other highlights include:
Child Poverty: CSV is jointly running the Dare to Care: Make time to help end child poverty campaign. Dare to Care will recruit 35,000 volunteers to tackle the effects of child poverty by helping pupils improve their reading, coaching sports teams or organising fun days out. Dare to Care sees CSV join forces with the End Child Poverty coalition.
Child protection: Over 60 children have been supported so far by CSV’s pioneering recruitment of Volunteers in Child Protection, which began following the death of 8 year old Victoria Climbie at the hands of her legal guardians. Volunteers are trained and matched with families with children at risk of significant harm from abuse or neglect.
Workplace volunteering: Last year more than 600 employee volunteers were able to escape the office to use their professional expertise to improve the reading levels, confidence and aspirations of children from primary and secondary schools.
Looking ahead, Executive Director of CSV, Dame Elisabeth Hoodless said: “CSV’s vision is for safer, healthier and more inclusive communities where people are part of the solution. We will be empowering young people to take the lead amongst their peers, giving a voice to those who are least heard and opening doors to more volunteer engagement in the public sector.”
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Click here to download report.
For more examples of CSV’s innovative work visit: www.csv.org.uk
Further press information or to receive a hard copy of the annual review:
Jason Tanner, Head of Press on 020 7812 0038 / 07941 433598 or jtanner@csv.org.uk or Paul Donohoe, Senior Press Officer on 020 7812 0033 pdonohoe@csv.org.uk
Latest press releases: www.csv.org.uk/press
Notes for editors:
1) CSV (Community Service Volunteers) creates opportunities for people to take an active part in the life of their communities through volunteering, training and community action.
2) In 2006/7 229,869 people gave time as volunteers through CSV. CSV trained 12,309 people of all ages and linked 29,000 people to learning through BBC Local Radio.