ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
Involve Youth Southwark (IYS) (2021 – 2022) is an innovative, youth-led and youth focused skills development and participation programme that will provide 240 young people aged 15-25 living in Southwark with accredited high quality youth-led training and awareness raising and learning events, volunteering and mentoring opportunities and a support Hub that will provide tailored and peer to peer advice about employment routes and skills. The programme will also offer cross-cultural learning and e-learning opportunities leading to positive social action and aimed to create Healthy, Active, Safe, Prepared and Informed young citizens.
Underpinned by three core themes; Employability, Citizenship and Youth Inclusion, programme activities will empower young people by building their knowledge, social and soft skills and confidence, allowing their voices to be heard, improving their relationships with their peers and communities, raising their aspirations, and facilitating their transition to adulthood and independent living.
BY THE END OF THE PROGRAMME
- The IARS will target 240 young people from Southwark who might have fewer opportunities, and who are more likely to be socially disengaged, by placing them in activities specifically designed to make them feel a real sense of personal development, and begin to tear down the barriers that they might face.
- Youth in Southwark will be empowered to become future leaders in their communities, while diverting them from harm and enhancing their employability and civic engagement, through community-based, alternative educational and volunteering opportunities.
- Southwark youth will be allowed to think about issues and experience what goes beyond their locality through exposure to the IARS’ work on local, regional, national and international levels.
CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES
Training
The programme offers cross-cultural learning and e-learning opportunities. The IARS will soon start two UK Youth training programmes: FutureProof and Be Internet Citizen (more information about upcoming sessions will be added soon).
As a final celebratory event for this year (2021), we organised a Youth Awards Ceremony. See more information here: https://www.iars.org.uk/online/onlinecompetition/
Work placements
The IARS provides 1-week work experience for students aged 15-19 with an introduction to the IARS and the charity sector, work experience and training opportunities. Students receive a certificate upon completion.
Internships
The IARS offers structured internships that are a combination of both research and communications tasks. The interns usually stay with us from anywhere from three months to a year, working from 1 to 3 days a week. All interns benefit from regular support and supervision, training and evaluations with their supervisor.
International Volunteering (ESC)
The European Solidarity Corps is an EU initiative that creates opportunities for young people in Europe. The IARS acts as both supporting and sending organisation, which means that we send UK volunteers abroad, and host and support EU volunteers for our own programme in London.
Youth & Women’s Advisory Boards
As a user-led charity our work is shaped and led by users so groups that are affected by a particular problem. These individuals are the experts of their own needs and have lived experience of the issues we work on. The Youth Advisory Board has members from different backgrounds who evaluate and scrutinise our work, for example by monitoring and quality controlling our projects and services and ensuring that they meet the needs of its users.
99% Campaign
The 99% Campaign is a youth-led initiative and digital participation programme aiming to make society more inclusive, fair and responsive to young people’s views and realities. The IARS facilitates the platform and funds the publishing of the 99% Magazine. The magazine is completely youth led from deciding on the theme of the edition to finding young authors and peer reviewing content.
CONTACT
If you would like to request more information about the programme and current opportunities, please contact m.babecka@iars.org.uk.
