There's a well known African proverb that says: "It takes a village to raise a child."
The Salvation Army uses this when it talks about the importance of volunteers, and when it comes to communities in Britain taking responsibility for the their young people, volunteers, it seems, are that village.
About half a million people in England alone volunteer to work with young people, according to the National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS), outnumbering paid employees in the sector by about 10 to one.
The message is clear: without volunteers there would not be a youth work sector.
"Volunteers are vital and necessary," says NCVYS workforce development officer Nichola Brown. "They are the lifeblood of the sector and without them young people would miss out. The country can't do without them."
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
