At Thatcham Youth we really value the contribution of young people in volunteering with us. That is why we offer a Young Leaders Programme for young people aged 13-18. The programme aims to work with young people to develop their skills within our projects as well as skills that can be applied outside of our projects, in school, other volunteer roles and in the world of work.

All young leaders will be offered the chance to engage with the programme, and whilst not mandatory, will enhance the volunteer experience. Each programme is unique to the young volunteer and will be tailored to them, with a range of online & in person training, mentoring, shadowing and “on the job” experience playing a part in the plan.

Each young leader will be given a full induction into their specific project and learn about the wider Thatcham Youth. They will be managed by our Head of Youth Activities Dan, who will catch up with them regularly to check in on their progress and see how things are going. During a development plan, the following opportunities may be offered:

Training – Both in person training courses and online. For example First Aid, Safeguarding, Food Hygiene Certificates, Leadership courses and more.
“On the job” Experience – Learning directly at our projects from staff & other volunteers, with the opportunity to lead small sessions when feeling confident enough to do so.
Mentoring – Looking to learn a new skill or improve a specific attribute, we can pair you up with a specific staff member or volunteer to improve on specific skills.
Leadership courses & Residentials – We work with other groups, such as Berkshire Youth, which allows us to access a whole variety of opportunities including off site residentials and Leadership Courses. These are run on an ad-hoc basis by these groups, but can be built into your development programme.

To discuss any of this or our volunteer opportunities, simply contact info@thatchamyouth.org.uk