Mayor backs uniform volunteers in jobs and skills boost

More than 500 young people are to learn how volunteering for a uniformed organisation could ‘significantly’ boost their confidence and ability to get on in life.

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West Midlands mayor Richard Parker has backed an initiative where hundreds of young people and members of the armed forces and emergency services cadets, St John Ambulance, Boys and Girls Bridge and Scouts and Girl Guides, take part in workshops to share the benefits of volunteering with other pupils. 

More than 500 young people and 50 schools will take part in the workshops by the end of the year.

The sessions, run by Youth Organisations in Uniform (YOU) West Midlands, were made possible through Department for Education funding in partnership with the Careers Enterprise Company and secured by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

The mayor saw first-hand the work of YOU West Midlands when he met youngsters at the Q3 Academy in Tipton last week and joined RAF air cadets for drill practice. 

Mr Parker said: “Tackling youth unemployment by giving young people the skills they need for the modern workplace has been my priority since day one.  

“Work experience and volunteering help young people to build the confidence, resilience and practical skills they need to land a great job, and joining a uniformed organisation is one of the best ways of doing that. 

“I’ve seen real energy and dedication here today. Those taking part have shown the power of volunteering in not only helping young people achieve their full potential but in generating the pride in place that comes from being an active member of their local community.”  

The school visits show how volunteering can provide valuable work experience and improve job prospects by helping young people develop skills needed to succeed in work.

Latest figures from YOU show there are more than 30,000 young people involved with the 11 uniformed youth organisations active in the West Midlands and more than 8,500 adult volunteers.

WMCA said research had shown being part of a uniformed organisation could significantly boost a young person’s confidence and ability to get on in life.

A recent report by the University of Nottingham said being part of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF), which represents the armed forces in schools, supported young people to improve well-being and social skills, resilience and confidence and helped reduce absence and exclusions.

One of them is 13-year-old air cadet Jack Price, who is also a pupil at the Q3 Academy. 

Jack said: “Being a cadet has opened up so many experiences for all of us. We get to fly aircraft, take part in leadership activities and do loads of other exciting things. 

“It teaches you discipline but it’s not about people shouting at you all the time like some people think. 

“It’s about helping you become the best version of yourself and achieve your full potential.” 

Fellow pupil and air cadet Joanna Oladokun, aged 14, added: “When I first joined, I’d always been quite a shy person, so I wanted something that would push me out of my comfort zone, help me speak to different people and build my confidence. 

“It teaches you a lot of skills that help you move on into work or further education. Things like organisation, discipline and confidence are all skills that I probably wouldn’t have developed as much without being a cadet.”