Description
Objectives: The aim of the work in progress paper is to share the initial findings from an ongoing project where a group of university psychology students are trained as volunteers by a local third sector youth organisation working with disadvantaged local young people.Design: A mixed-method longitudinal study is being conducted to evaluate the impact of the volunteering scheme, involving qualitative and quantitative data
Methods: Three cohorts of student volunteers over a 2-year period have been tracked on their journey from training to experienced volunteers in the organisation. Data has been obtained from the students themselves via focus groups and semi-structured interviews. We have captured tracking data of young people’s participation in organisation activities, gathered ethnographic observations of volunteers and young people working together in the settings, collected survey feedback from young people and in-depth case study examples of young people who have been mentored by the student volunteers.
Preliminary results: Data collection and analysis is ongoing, but initial findings suggest the volunteering scheme has had a positive impact on the student volunteers in terms of personal development, employability, and career planning; impactful for the organisation in terms of capacity, participation, and team stability; and beneficial for young people in terms of engagement, enjoyment, and developmental trajectories. It is being used as an example of innovation and added value for resourcing youth services.
| Period | 12 Sept 2024 |
|---|---|
| Event title | British Psychological Society Psychology of Education Section Conference 2024: Supporting Learners and Supporting Learning |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Cambridge, United KingdomShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | National |