International Men's Day... it's not just for men!

This Saturday (17th November) Team v Derby City will be at the International Men's Day event at Pride Park in Derby.  

We'll be talking to people about youth homelessness and the various local organisations that provide advice and support to prevent young people from becoming homeless.  We'll also encourage people to sign Centrepoint's petition against housing benefit cuts for under 25 year olds, and share the various ways that you can help young people affected by homelessness - such as volunteering opportunities in Derby at local charities that support people who experience homelessness.  

The event is open to anyone (not just men!) and is completely free to attend.  There will be over 30 exhibitors and plenty going on to keep you entertained, including tours of the Rams dressing rooms!  More information on the event can be found here. 

We're really excited to be part of International Men's Day, it's set to be a fantastic event so please come along and say hello!  

Team v and Lord Sugar's Young Apprentice

As I watched Young Apprentice on Thursday night I followed the reaction on Twitter which was overwhelmingly critical of everything the candidates did (or didn’t do) and said.  Of course the nature and style of the programme invites the audience to laugh at mistakes made and cringe at overly bold statements and I would be lying if I said I didn’t share those responses.  But as a fan of rose-tinted spectacles I always try to look on the bright side and see the good in people – call me naive but I think there’s enough miserableness (that’s a word, right?) and grumpy people in this world without me becoming one of them.    

My brother runs an awesome site that looks at Young Adult TV - any programmes/series made for, and about, teens.  He asked if I’d like to write about the first episode of Young Apprentice and I jumped at the chance of finally doing something related to my degree (Film with Television Studies) two years after graduating.  When I told him my piece was focused more on the overall concept and I was putting a positive spin on it he joked ‘really?!’ and basically wished me luck... 

I’ve met some incredible young people, especially the bunch I was lucky enough to be accepted onto the Team v programme with.  Bursting with energy and ideas for how they want to change the world, I’ve been amazed by how they’ve already made an impact in their communities in only a few weeks.  As one of the Team v leaders bordering on vInspired’s maximum age limit, seeing those up to six years younger than me take on this project alongside their college/uni/work commitments and do so with more confidence than I could dream of having even now, never mind at that age, has been inspiring.  

Organisations such as vInspired are vital in giving young people the tools to fulfil their ambitions and contribute to society in positive ways.  Just like Lord Sugar’s twelve candidates the 105 Team v leaders have been given an amazing opportunity to show what we’re made of.  We may not get £25,000 at the end of our programme, but I have no doubt that the skills, knowledge and confidence we develop will be priceless for the rest of our lives.  

You can read my attempt at an upbeat look at Young Apprentice here and check out the other brilliant posts on Young Adult TV while you’re there. 

The Lone Nut

At the Team v residential last weekend, which marked the start of our ‘leadership journey’, we were shown a Youtube video.

Take a few minutes to witness the ‘lone nut’, an ordinary guy who stands up in a crowd and makes himself noticed.  

The moral of the story?  ‘The first follower transforms the lone nut into a leader'.  If the first person hadn’t joined in with the crazy dancing, this guy would have remained a strange man doing a weird dance in a public place.   

Just as the lone nut required followers, Team v needs volunteers. 

Team v leaders all over England are looking for 16-25 year olds with a passion for social change to get involved and make our voices heard on important issues.  The first campaign has just kicked off and it’s all about raising awareness of youth homelessness, which affects over 75,000 young people in the UK each year. 

It doesn't matter how much time you can give or what skills/experience you have, we will support you.  Together, we can make a difference.

So come on, please, don’t let me be a lone nut! Sign up here 

Team v needs you!

Following the announcement of Team v’s first campaign, tackling youth homelessness , we have started recruiting volunteers to help us complete our mission! As a youth-led project, we want other young people to join us in running campaigns in our local communities, all over England. 

                                                    *   Are you 16 – 25?

                                                    *   Got some spare time?

                                                    *   Want to change the world?

                                                    *   Learn some new skills?

                                                    *   Be part of something special?  

Each team needs 3 to 5 core volunteers who will commit three hours a week in a specific area.  These roles include Event Co-ordinator, Marketing and PR Manager, Community Engagement Officer, and Director of Photography and Video.  If you have an interest in any of these areas, get in touch today! You don’t need any experience or qualifications, just a passion to get involved and make a difference in your community.  We also need general volunteers who can give any time they possibly can, even an hour! 

If you’re aged 16-25 and live in Derby, you can apply here: 

http://vinspired.com/activities/171122-various-roles-no-experience-necessary

If you’re aged 16-25 and don’t live in Derby, don’t panic! You can find your nearest Team v here:       http://vinspired.com/teamv

 What are you waiting for? 

Join the Team v revolution and do something about youth homelessness. 

Team v year 2 takes off!

***You can read the full version of this blog post on http://blog.vinspired.com/team-v-year-2-takes-off - why not sign up to vinspired.com while you’re there!*** 

Last Friday 105 eager young volunteers gathered for the launch of Team v’s first campaign.  In a jam-packed three day event, we received training on all the important stuff, from budgeting to being a Purple Cow (standing out from the crowd, not being an actual...yeah, you get it).  Sessions were led by vInspired staff, Dare2Lead, Shelter, NYRG/St. Basils, and we were supported by representatives from the partner organisations for Team v: The Rank Foundation, NIACE, and CAF.   

It was revealed that the first issue Team v are tackling is Youth Homelessness.  75,000 young people are affected by homelessness in the UK every year, and it could happen to anyone – we want other young people to be aware of this.  

Watch the campaign video to find out more: 

One of the best things about the weekend for me was the opportunity to talk to my fellow leaders.  I knew it already, but there are some seriously inspiring young people out there.  Everyone has other commitments – some barely have time to sleep already, the amount of things they do – but that won’t stop them giving as much as they possibly can to Team v.   

We can’t do this alone, we need 16 – 25 year olds to volunteer with us to plan and deliver the campaign, and help to raise awareness of youth homelessness across England.  Together, we can change it. 

Sound good? To find your nearest Team v leader go to www.vinspired.com/teamv

If you live in Derby you can sign up to help with my campaign here - I'd love to hear from you!

Back to the Bubble

This weekend I’m off to Warwick University for the first Team v residential.  Enthusiasm has been building since the warm-up day which gave us an opportunity to meet the 100-strong crew of Team v leaders, but I have particular reason to be excited about where it is being held.  I graduated from Warwick Uni just over two years ago, having spent four years of my life as an undergraduate there.  I loved my time there and haven’t been back to the university campus (or the ‘bubble’, as it is affectionately named due to the detachment from reality you feel when you’re there for more than a few days) since graduation so it will be brilliant – if a little surreal – to return as a... ahem, mature, non-student.   

In my third year of uni I was lucky enough to be on the youth advisory board for vinspired, then called v20.  Being on v20 undoubtedly changed my life.  I met some incredible young people who were unbelievably inspiring and I came to realise that my passions lay in helping others.  Having volunteered since the age of eleven on various projects both in and out of school, I suppose I always knew this, but suddenly it dawned on me that you can make a career out of it without being a teacher or a doctor.  The voluntary sector doors had finally swung open and I could see the range of opportunities out there as an employee, not just a volunteer.  Now I’ll admit I haven’t managed to get a foot on the ladder yet, but by throwing my efforts into volunteering for numerous different organisations and gaining experience in various areas, I’m acquiring the skills, experience and contacts to stand me in good stead (hopefully) for a brighter future. 

I had to work hard for my degree.  I’m not the type of person who can skip lectures, roll into an exam after a late night, leave the exam an hour early and go home with top marks (not that I’m bitter) but during my time as a student I managed to dedicate time I wasn’t in lectures/writing essays/stressing out to a few projects, inspired by my involvement with v20.  This ranged from assisting the Volunteer Co-ordinator at a Community Venture on a weekly basis to teaching English and Maths for one month in Rajasthan, India.  In 2009 I received a Warwick Advantage Award for my work with v20, recognition of the time I had committed to volunteering whilst at university.  So for a little of my time I got a lot in return. 

 

I hope my experience shows that whether you’re in college, uni, or a full-time job, if you spare a little time to help others, you’ll soon realise you’re also helping yourself.  Volunteering with Team v is a fantastic opportunity to develop your skills, meet new people, and you might even discover a career path you had never considered before.  Not bad for a few hours of your time, hey? 

Email Lucy.Dean@vinspired.com if you’d like to find out more about Team v Derby City.       

Older People's Day

Today is Older People's Day in the UK, tying in with the UN International Day of Older Persons. 

The aim of the day is to 'tackle negative attitudes and outdated stereotypes' by celebrating the contributions that older people make to society and the economy, and the amazing things they achieve.  

The second issue tackled by last year’s Team v leaders was around loneliness and isolation in older people.  Learning that 1 in 10 older people in the UK were affected, Team v leaders across England organised events for older people in their communities, creating new friendships both with their peers and the younger generation.  I found this to be an incredibly emotional and inspiring campaign to watch come to life via the Team v Twitter and Youtube accounts, so being involved must have been wonderful.  

I only hope that as a Team v leader for 2012-13 I can achieve even a small slice of the fantastic results that you can see here - take a few minutes to watch this and be inspired: 

It's the first day of October - why not make this the first day of a new exciting journey with Team v? 

If you're aged 16 - 25 and live in Derby, get in touch.  Together we can do amazing things. 

Lucy  -  Team v Leader for Derby City 

Lucy.Dean@vinspired.com    @TeamvDerbyCity   www.facebook.com/TeamvDerbyCity

The countdown begins!

In just two weeks the 100 plus army of Team v leaders from all over England will get together for the first residential with vInspired  

That's when we'll discover the theme for our first campaign so I'm really excited!

Last year Team v tackled food poverty, loneliness and isolation in older people, and literacy for young children.  I have no doubt that the issues we build our campaigns around this year will be just as relevant and powerful, and I can't wait to get started. 

I need a team of enthusiastic 16-25 year olds to join me in the Team v Derby City revolution!  You'll be involved in every step of the process, from planning the campaign to delivering it, which means you'll gain fantastic skills and experience to put on your CV and you'll meet some lovely people who all want to do something good in our local community. 

If you're interested, get in touch: 

Email:  Lucy.Dean@vinspired.com 
Twitter:   @TeamvDerbyCity 
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/TeamvDerbyCity

The man on the train

"It's volunteering"

"Yeah" 

"So you won't get paid for it" 

"Yep, that's right"

"And you're going to Leeds... just for the interview" 

"Absolutely" 

"Wow, that's dedication.  Not many people would do that.  Especially your age."


On the train heading to my interview for Team v, a man in his late thirties struck up conversation.  As much as I like spontaneous bouts of train talk with a stranger, that was not the time.  Feeling nervous about the interview, I was hoping to enjoy a peaceful, relaxing journey, keeping myself to myself - not face twenty questions before I had even entered the interview room.  When we got onto where I was going and why though, I couldn't resist boring him with the details because of my excitement.  His reaction (as seen in the above conversation) reminded me that not everyone gets it, which is why organisations such as vInspired and programmes like Team v are so important. 

I've been volunteering on long and short term opportunities almost non-stop since I was eleven years old, so I was let in on the secret from an early age.  You know, the secret... that volunteering is good for the mind, body and soul (and not forgetting the CV).  If you didn't already know this, you're in the right place to be enlightened.  If you are lucky enough to have already been bitten by the volunteering bug, then you should definitely stick around too! 

Team v is a network of over 100 volunteers (aged 18-25) who want to change things for the better.  It's a programme run by  vInspired, the youth-led organisation that aims to inspire a new generation of volunteers (aged 14-25).  Team v leaders across England will recruit other young volunteers to help them plan, organise and deliver three social action projects to make a difference in their communities.  


So how about we prove the man on the train wrong?  As Tom Jones wisely said, 'It's not unusual' at all - young people across the country are volunteering their time for causes they believe in and Team v are set to deliver three amazing campaigns and show the world what we can do when we put our minds to it and are given the right support and guidance. 

There are perks too, of course.  Meet new people, learn new skills, do something good for your community and have fun...all at the same time! All you have to do is commit some of your time (as little or as much as you want) to help make Team v Derby City's campaigns come to life.

If this sounds right up your street, or you'd like to know more - get in touch today! 


Email:  Lucy.Dean@vinspired.com
Twitter:  @TeamvDerbyCity
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/TeamvDerbyCity


Thank you for taking the time to read this, if you know anyone aged 16-25 living in Derby please take a minute to share it with them.

I can't wait to hear from you! 

Lucy - Team v Leader for Derby City

Team v - Changing the world...One campaign at a time