The stories of young people involved in a volunteering programme in Kirklees have been featured in a series of podcasts.
Luke, Benita and Iqra, who tell their stories in the podcasts, have all been volunteering with Third Sector Leaders Kirklees, the local volunteer centre, as part of the Future Creative volunteer programme.
They have been involved in volunteering at a wide range of creative events including supporting Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield and Kirklees Year of Music 2023.
The podcasts were produced by Graham Sykes, of the social enterprise Youth Social, which is a local not-for-profit organisation which aims to enable young people under 25 to maximise their potential, including through volunteering.
The podcasts, published on major platforms including Apple and Spotify, showcase the benefits of youth volunteering, both for the young people involved and the organisations they are supporting.
Becky Bracey, volunteer service lead at Third Sector Leaders Kirklees, said: “We were delighted when Graham approached us with the idea for the podcasts.
“We know a lot of young people listen to podcasts and we thought it was a great opportunity to celebrate the volunteer stories of some of our wonderful Future Creative volunteers and inspire more young people to get involved in volunteering.”
Graham added: “These podcasts tell some genuine stories of the power of volunteering, not only helping young people develop skills for their career path, but also highlighting the health and wellbeing benefits volunteering can provide.
“These podcasts are the first in a series we will be producing that celebrate youth volunteering in the local area.”
Anyone interested in finding out more about volunteering in the Kirklees area can contact Becky Bracey, at Third Sector Leaders Kirklees, on volunteer@tslkirklees.org.uk or 07776 588691 or 01484 519053.
