A NEW programme to make youths more passionate about volunteering in Worcestershire has been launched this week.

The new ‘vinvolved’ team for Worcestershire is part of a £75 million National Youth Volunteering Programme run by V, the volunteering charity, and aims to inspire 500,000 young people aged 16 to 25 to get involved in their communities.

The programme was launched yesterday at the volunteering forum at the University of Worcester. The vinvolved team is based at the Worcestershire Council for Voluntary Youth Services (WCVYS).

The team will be working with organisations across the county to support them offer ing innovative, high quality volunteering opportunities that tap into young people’s passions for sport, the environment, music, animals, art and making a difference for people in their community.

Young people who are interested in volunteering can receive support from the vinvolved team. Support will include discussing volunteering needs, help finding appropriate opportunities and help earning nationally recognised awards.

Tom Evans, aged 20, who has been involved in youth volunteering locally for four years and is keen to continue under the new scheme, said volunteering had changed his life.

He said: “Volunteering stopped me wasting my time sitting on park benches, gave me a taste of different careers and a chance to choose a direction.

“It also gave me the chance to meet loads of exciting people, many of whom have become good friends that I wouldn’t normally have met.

“I’ve also had the chance to do crazy things like morris dancing in Greece and develop circus skills, which is now a hobby for me.”

The Redditch, Bromsgrove and Wychavon team can be contacted on 01905 795098 or by e-mailing vinvolvedeast@wcvys.co.uk, while the Worcester, Malvern Hills and Wyre Forest team can be contacted on 01905 24741 or by e-mailing vinvolvedwest@wcvys.co.uk.

For more information about V, visit vinspired.com.