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I don't get into trouble anymore; I've had my taste of prison. The people from Rainer were the only ones who came to see me.
Rainer young person
Youth volunteering takes off in Essex
5 February 2008
Young people's charity Rainer began a drive to recruit more than 250 young volunteers from across Essex today for a scheme that promises to ignite the enthusiasm of Essex youngsters and invigorate local communities.
The scheme is led by ten young project workers who, over the next few weeks, will recruit groups of volunteers between the ages of 16 and 25. The young people themselves will then think about what they want to change or create in their local communities and design their volunteering activities based on these goals.
Some of the activities that have been suggested so far include organising a 'Battle of the Bands' night for the local community, building a skate park and running an environmental project or a 'Save the Planet' day.
The project has funding from the youth volunteering charity v which aims to inspire a new generation of young volunteers aged 16-25 across England.
Angela Surrey (20), one of the young Rainer project workers based in Essex said that she became interested in working with young people while she was at University.
"I was running anger management workshops in Pupil Referral Units. I began to appreciate that a lot of young people are misunderstood, oppressed and, most of all, there aren't many opportunities out there for them to get involved in. Through this experience, I realised that I wanted to help young people reach there full potential and provide opportunities for them to do that."
Rainer Project Manager Keri Green said:
"We are very excited about this project, which will give our young people the opportunity to develop new skills and will build understanding of how they can contribute locally. This project is all about empowering young people in Essex to come up with their own innovative and creative ideas for enriching their local communities, and from what I have seen so far there are going to be some very exciting projects underway in the next few months."
Terry Ryall, v Chief Executive, said: "We are delighted to be able to provide financial support to Rainer. It is exciting to be involved in this project which creates new and creative volunteering experiences for young people in Essex."
Ends
Notes to Editors
1. To arrange interviews with Keri Green or the Rainer project workers please contact Lucy Jackson, Rainer Press Officer, on ph: 020 7840 5627, mob: 07734 022 409 or email: lucy.jackson@raineronline.org.
2. Rainer is the national charity for under-supported young people. We work with 18,000 young people and young adults across the country - including those who are at risk of family breakdown, in or leaving care, caught up in the criminal justice system, homeless, or outside education, training or employment. www.raineronline.org.
3. v is an independent charity that was launched in May 2006 to champion youth volunteering in England. Its aim is to inspire a new generation of young people aged 16-25to volunteer. To do this v is aiming to increase the quantity, quality and diversity of volunteering opportunities for young people. It is supported by the Office of the Third Sector. v works with and builds upon the current voluntary sector infrastructure, funds the creation of volunteering opportunities through grants rounds and implements programmes to create awareness and positive understanding of volunteering for young people.
