Tayside Council on Alcohol is one of three finalists shortlisted in the Youth Friendly Organisation Award category at this year’s Youth Volunteering Awards.

TCA are excellent in ensuring their young volunteers have a great experience – by firstly providing a variety of roles to choose from. Their project includes the volunteer opportunity to become a 1:1 mentor for young people, mentor for their girls’ and boys’ groups, worker on the Dundee Safezone bus, worker for kith ‘n’ kin and an admin/office worker. The mentoring roles play a huge part in the service’s delivery by helping young service users learn life skills, build on their strengths and achieve their full potential. Moreover, without the Dundee Safezone, Kith ‘n’ Kin and admin/office volunteers, the service would not run as smoothly, or support the number of people it does. Therefore, young volunteers are provided with responsible and rewarding roles through TCA.

Young volunteers at TCA are also always provided with support for personal development. Every volunteer who plans to work with young people goes through a 4-week training programme to equip them with the skills and knowledge to work with vulnerable young people. The Dundee Safezone Volunteers are required to attend training in drug and alcohol awareness along with mental health first aid. And finally, all volunteers with TCA are offered support and supervision, as well as encouraged to take part in any relevant training courses.

Most importantly, TCA ensure to recognise their young volunteers’ contribution to the team by having away days, holding volunteer appreciation events, nominating them for awards throughout the year and offering them sessional/part-time vacancies.

Good luck for the 2019 Youth Volunteering Awards TCA!