Volunteers urgently needed for young people

A Christian charity has responded to increasing requests for help in working with marginalised young people who have social, emotional or communication problems. Reality Adventure Works now has a worker in the Highlands – Clair Nias, based in Badenoch and Strathspey – who is urgently in need of help in responding to the surge of referrals across the Highland area.

Back in January this year, Reality Adventure Works (head office in Glasgow) held an information evening for local churches in the Inverness area. Subsequent to that meeting and faced with increasing requests for help and referrals from local agencies Reality has now appointed a part-time worker based in Badenoch and Strathspey to cover the Highland area.

Clair Nias is now urgently looking for volunteers who would like to join young people on adventure camps and help them build confidence, develop social skills and have a break from their normal environment. Sharing the experience and encouraging these young people to work through challenges and fears can be rewarding and life-changing for both young people and volunteers. Volunteers can be men or women of any age who are prepared to be encouraging and get involved; no previous experience is necessary.
Although the Reality events are outdoor orientated, volunteers need not directly participate in all the live-action activities, but will invariably find it hard to stop themselves joinng in!

The majority of the referrals received by Reality are from social workers in Highland, however the organisation accepts referrals from education authorities and private sources (direct from families). Unlike many similar organisations/charities, Reality offers a 1:1 ratio of young person to volunteers to aid the success and participation of the young person at camp.
Reality also offers pre/post camp visits to young people and their families in order to build a good rapport and ensure. Reality has a thorough knowledge of the young person’s needs, abilities and goals for camp. The referring agent is only charged for the cost of the young person at camp and all other costs are paid for by Reality.

Speaking of the growing list of requests for help, Claire says:

Reality is the only Charity providing such a service at present in Highlands and due to this and the growing reputation of Reality we are becoming overrun with referrals.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a Christian Organisation like Reality to be used by the Highland Council on such a regular basis. What an opportunity to impact young people’s lives in Highland for the better.
But we desperately need more volunteers who are free to help at weekends or for a week in the summer to accompany the camp leaders and young people on camp.

We take a huge range of young people to camp from those who may simply have low self-esteem to young people who are severely affected by autism. We always have camp leaders who have met the young people and know them well and we work hard to match our volunteers and young people appropriately. Camps rarely have more than 4 young people away at once and we are happy to consider under 18 volunteers, students, retired people, couples etc. Please if you can help or know of someone who could-please get in touch (details are below). There is no cost to volunteers for attending camp.

We are at the stage that if we don’t get more volunteers quickly we are going to have to start limiting our referrals. Already I have interested parties in Caithness and in other Councils north of Inverness but I am having to hold off from any more publicity until we have sufficient volunteers to help.

All volunteers have to complete a simple application form and a Disclosure Scotland Form (costs paid by Reality). A Reality worker will also visit you and answer any questions you may have.

If you can help or would like more information please get in touch by phone or email. I would be happy to come and talk to a church group if desired. Thank you.

claire.nias@rawscotland.org.uk
info@rawscotland.org.uk

Head office Tel. 01417777656
Highland office Tel. 07748595451

Footnotes:
Reality Adventure Works is a Christian Charity formed in 1994 which works with marginalised young people aged 9-16 years old from across Scotland. Up until recently most of Reality’s work has been in the central belt where the head office is based (Glasgow). However due to demand and an increase in referrals a part-time worker has been employed in Highland based in Badenoch and Strathspey.

Reality offers young people with social, emotional or communication problems the opportunity to

improve their self confidence
develop their communication skills
improve the quality of their leisure time
regain trust
make friends
have respite from their usual environment

This is achieved by doing outdoor activities like team games, archery, dry slope skiing and climbing etc. (usually based at Abernethy Trust Centres). Activities can be from an afternoon to a full week at camp depending on the confidence and needs of the young person.

Reality Adventure Works, 07/05/2010