Ten young people in Merton have become Young Advisors to help increase volunteering within the borough.

Applicants registered their interest to be a Young Advisor with Volunteer Centre Merton. They completed a day’s training which involved looking at websites of public services near where they live such as hospitals, community centres and libraries. They then had to identify two services which they would volunteer for and two they would not want to volunteer for, based on their online experience of the organisations. This research has proved invaluable in allowing the Young Advisors charity to gauge which services appeal most to young people and which are less appealing.

The information from the exercise will feed into Merton’s volunteering strategy and help Volunteer Centre Merton make any future policies or projects more attractive to young people.

Young Advisors is a national charity which trains young people to be consultants so they are equipped to offer advice, guidance and support to organisations working with children and young people.

Merton’s cabinet member for children’s services, Councillor Maxi Martin said: ‘I am pleased at the number of young people who want to be Young Advisors. It shows their commitment to helping in their borough and hopefully it will inspire their peers to follow suit.’

ENDS