Aim of the Service Section

To encourage service to individuals and to the community.

The Principles

This Section is based on the belief that members of a community have a responsibility to each other and voluntary help is needed.

Young people should identify the voluntary service required to gain some knowledge of the needs of those whom they are assisting and then receive briefing and training in the skills required to give that service.  The value of participation in the Service Section comes from training, giving practical service and appreciating the needs of the community.

Choice

Participants can use the following list of ideas or, alternatively, they can develop their own programme to meet community needs.  Participants are encouraged to explore and pursue different and interesting initiatives.

The choice of service should reflect a young person’s individual interests, talents and capabilities but also be challenging and may build on previous experiences.

Examples:
 

Elderly People

What is it?
Assisting elderly people who have specific needs by giving service which will improve their quality of life.

Fundraising

What is it?
Involvement in raising funds for local or national charities, disadvantaged groups or individuals, or for worthwhile community projects. (Participants raising funds for their own Award Group or to aid their own participation in the Award may not count this as Service). The choice of charity or cause should be the participants, but it is vital that they develop an understanding of the context in which fundraising takes place, and the background needs of the recipients.

Helping Children

What is it?
Helping children with particular needs, which will add to the quality of their life, or help them to learn or practice new skills. The service should provide something extra over and above normal provision (baby-sitting in itself is not an acceptable form of service).

Police Service

What is it?
A programme to help participants learn and gain a basic understanding of policing procedures and an appreciation of working with other agencies and the voluntary sector. Participants should become further involved in appropriate local community safety activities (for example, Crime Concern), or in partnership with the local police service, devise and run a community safety project.

Sports Leadership

What is it?

Sports Leadership can be undertaken either through the coaching schemes of one of the Governing Bodies for individual sports or through the British Sports Trust Leader Awards. The Sports leader Awards train young people to be leaders in their community.  They develop qualities recognisable in great leaders: communication skills, planning, organisation, and the ability to motivate and take responsibility for others through the medium of sport.  The awards are designed to help people of all ages to develop their sporting interests so that they are better qualified to offer their services as coaches and organisers. This programme also applies where participants want to help coach one particular sport, for example: Football, Canoeing, Kayaking, Basketball, Swimming etc. Bronze/young participants may not always need to go though a sports qualification and will help/learn on a volunteer basis with a club/team.