Volunteer Information Sheet
When: Thursday 1st December– Saturday 24th December 2016
Where: Queensgate Shopping Centre, Peterborough
Time: 8am – 8pm*
What is it?
Queensgate Shopping Centre recently announced YMCA Cambridgeshire & Peterborough as their charity of the year 2016/17. As part of the partnership YMCA will be organising a variety of events to raise fund and awareness of YMCA in the city. One of the planned activities is Christmas Wrapping over the festive period. All the money raised from Christmas wrapping with go towards helping to provide a young person with a safe place to stay over the Christmas period at our Time Stop emergency accommodation. In 2015 our Time Stop emergency accommodation in Peterborough was able to provide a safe place to stay for 136 young people who had nowhere else to turn. Through the one to one support Time Stop key workers provide, they have been able to facilitate 14 young people moving back home and 11 young people were able to move onto independent living in the community.
What is homelessness?
Over 3,500 people sleep rough in the UK every night. Hidden homelessness is a major problem in the UK with over 80,000 young people face homelessness every year, three times official figures.
Homelessness is defined by the Government as ‘having no permanent home to go to’. The reality is you don’t have to be on the streets to be considered homeless, many homeless young people ‘sofa surf’ relying on the goodwill of others for a bed for the night and in some cases many years.
Imagine how you would cope if you became homeless through no fault of your own. Maybe you were fleeing an arranged marriage? Or escaping from physical, mental or sexual abuse? Or your parent has found a new partner who simply doesn’t want you around? Where would you go? How isolated would you feel?
Your Role:
You will become a valued member of the team, volunteering to be part of Team YMCA you will be part of a valuable fundraising event that will help change the lives of homeless young people in Peterborough. As part of Team YMCA, you may be asked to undertake the following:
- Wrap gifts for members of the public
- Talk about YMCA Cambridgeshire & Peterborough
- Help spread Christmas cheer!
- Collecting donations for YMCA Cambridgeshire & Peterborough
- Helping with the setting up and the cleaning up the stand
Team YMCA will create a rota of shifts so you can have breaks throughout the day. Water and snacks will be provided to keep you motivated throughout the day.
Who are Team YMCA?
Anyone can become a member of Team YMCA. They are simply looking for people who are reliable and responsible and who want to make a difference for a young person in the city this Christmas. Team YMCA members should also have good communications skills, be respectful, fast learning and enjoy working as part of a team. Team YMCA members should have a passion for our charitable cause and want to make a difference.
Why Volunteer for Team YMCA?
Becoming a member of Team YMCA will help make a difference to hundreds of young people in the city and surrounding area this Christmas. YMCA Cambridgeshire & Peterborough has been working in Cambridgeshire since 1852 to help young people reach their full potential. We work with individuals and families within the community by providing a range of opportunities through our programmes and interventions which include: Housing, Health & Fitness, Youth Projects, Youth Justice services, Mental Health Counselling, Employability programmes, Volunteering and much more.
Becoming a Team YMCA member will help you gain confidence, meet new people and make new friends, be part of a community, learn new skills, take on a challenge and most importantly have FUN.
If you would like to become a member of Team YMCA and help a young person this Christmas please Call Verity on 01733 373 188 or [email protected]
Application deadline: Friday 18th November 2016
Team YMCA Open Evening: Tuesday 29th November 2016
Please quote: YMCA-V-XmasWrap2