District Council supports young community by helping to fund Newark and Sherwood CVS project

The project, Golden Thread, supports young people wanting to get into further education and work by giving them access to local volunteering. Those enrolled on the programme receive training and are matched with organisations that interest them.

Golden Thread is delivered in community settings across Newark and Sherwood and provides a six-week course introducing young people to volunteering and citizenship within their community. Young people taking part will have the opportunity to learn new skills and receive training around the value and benefits of volunteering, experience different organisations that they may want to take up employment in, receive support when looking for jobs as well and have a volunteer passport, which gives them an accredited qualification covering safeguarding and GDPR.

In addition, participants will have access to a mentor who will support them through their volunteering, as well as individual and group support from a young person's development worker.

The project focuses particularly on young people who are considered to have fewer opportunities or more deprived circumstances. To enquire about volunteering opportunities or to find out more about the project contact Newark and Sherwood CVS here:  https://www.nandscvs.org/about-us/contact-us/

Councillor Matthew Spoors, Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Economic Development at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: "I am thrilled that we can continue supporting Newark and Sherwood CVS and their Golden Threat project through our allocation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund!

"The project is vital for our local communities and provides young people with crucial opportunities that have not been available to them through traditional avenues. The Golden Thread project will provide those taking part with new skills and allow them to explore different organisations and jobs that may interest them as future careers in a supported and guided way.

"I look forward to hearing how our young volunteers get on, and I thank Newark and Sherwood CVS for championing this brilliant project. We must continue to help and support the young people in our community in gaining skills that will set them up for life and finding meaningful careers that they enjoy and will give them purpose.”

Louise Carey Simpson, CEO of CVS, said: “We are delighted to have further investment in our golden thread project from the UKSPF to enable us to offer more opportunities to young people to gain life skills from volunteering that will help them in the next steps of their education or career.   The young people in our district are the volunteers of tomorrow and this project will really help them to understand what they can gain from playing a part in their community.”