Sylvia Heal

Labour Party | Halesowen and Rowley Regis

Sylvia Heal MP urges local young adults to volunteer abroad

Sylvia Heal MP has urged young adults in Halesowen and Rowley Regis to take advantage of a pioneering new government-backed global volunteering scheme.

The scheme will enable 2,500 young adults – particularly those from less advantaged backgrounds – between 18-25 years old, to do voluntary work in a developing country and raise awareness of development issues in the UK.

Placements will take place in Ghana and South Africa, with volunteers spending ten weeks in the country working on local community development projects such as environmental conservation or HIV/AIDS awareness. They will design personal activity plans with other volunteers during a residential weekend on their return to the UK; and building understanding about the world back home through road shows and activities in their local communities and encouraging their peers to join the fight against global poverty.

The scheme will start in 2008 and is to be funded by the Department for International Development which leads the Government’s fight against global poverty.

Welcoming this initiative, Sylvia Heal said: “This is a great opportunity for young adults to make a real difference to the lives of some of the world’s poorest people.

By living and working with people of different cultures, facing different challenges it will also help broaden their understanding of the world.

I particularly welcome the scheme’s emphasis on those from less advantaged backgrounds, as this will help ensure those who would not normally have the chance to live, work and make a contribution abroad now can.”

If you are interested in taking part in the project you can find more information at www.dfid.gov.uk/news/files/volunteering-programme.asp