Volunteers’ Week 2010 commences on Tuesday 1 June and charity Lattitude Global Volunteering is taking the opportunity to recognise the positive difference made by its volunteers in communities in the UK and overseas.
Established almost 40 years ago, not for profit youth development charity Lattitude Global Volunteering provides young people with the opportunity to volunteer in communities overseas, and brings young people from overseas to volunteer placements in the UK.
The themes of Volunteers’ Week are ‘Recognise, Reward, Recruit’, which Lattitude Global Volunteering is keen to support.
The charity recently had a royal visit from one of its patrons, HRH The Princess Royal, as a way to recognise and reward some of its volunteers and staff. UK volunteer, Linda Bloomfield, recently returned from South Africa, and New Zealand Maori volunteer Karetai Williams-Paul, who is currently volunteering in Reading, were selected as outstanding volunteers to present a speech and flowers to Her Royal Highness during the visit at Lattitude’s headquarters in Reading, Berkshire.
“As a youth development charity we believe it is important to recognise the work that our young volunteers get involved with”, Paul Rompani, CEO of Lattitude Global Volunteering explains. “The experience of volunteering overseas enhances young peoples’ commitment to volunteering and public service, which can be of lasting benefit to them and their community. It also develops their aspirations and helps them to make informed decisions about how to live their lives and fulfil their potential”.
Lattitude Global Volunteering supports a network of local communities in the UK and overseas, some of which it has worked with for over 35 years. Organisations supported by Lattitude in the UK include care homes for children and adults with disabilities, special and mainstream schools for children, organisations helping the homeless and outward bound camps. While on the placements the young people develop various life skills, confidence and team-working skills.
“Lattitude volunteers become part of the communities they work within and most maintain contact with their hosts after their placements, showing continued interest in the projects they have been involved with” Paul continues. “Several Lattitude volunteers have also been inspired to set up their own charities, or fundraise within their own community, to continue the work they were involved with through Lattitude”.
Volunteers’ Week is an annual event that aims to raise awareness of volunteering across the UK. The themes of the week for 2010, “Recognise, Reward and Recruit”, highlight the contribution of over 20 million people across the UK who give their time freely, while encouraging others to get involved in volunteering. The week is co-ordinated in England by volunteer development agency Volunteering England (VE). For further details visit http://www.volunteersweek.org.uk.
Lattitude Global Volunteering provides the opportunity to volunteer overseas to young people from all over the world, helping to prepare them for university and work and teaching the life skills that cannot be learnt in a classroom. Lattitude offers a funding and bursary scheme to assist those who would otherwise struggle to raise the funds required to volunteer overseas. For information visit http://www.lattitude.org.uk
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Notes to editors:
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For further information, pictures and interviews, please contact Jude Mitcham on 01903 207408 or jude@molokini.co.uk We are able to offer spokespeople from the charity, as well as returned volunteers and parents. We also have a large selection of photographs and written case-studies submitted by young volunteers on placements around the world.
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Lattitude Global Volunteering (Lattitude) is a charity specialising in volunteering for 17 – 25 year olds. We provide unique experiences of voluntary work placements for young people from around the world.
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Lattitude has a global network of placements that spans 20 countries and includes projects in conservation, caring, community, camps and outdoor, medical, sports coaching, teaching, and language assisting. Current destinations include Canada, Argentina, Ecuador, Mexico, Brazil, Ghana, Ireland, Malawi, Poland, Tanzania, South Africa, Australia, China, Fiji, Japan, New Zealand, UK, Vietnam, Vanuatu and India.
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Lattitude Global Volunteering is a UK registered international youth development charity (No. 272761), a company limited by guarantee (No. 01289296), a founder member of the Year Out Group, a member of BOND (British Overseas NGOs for Development)
PR Enquiries Contact:
Molokini Marketing
Jude Mitcham
jude@molokini.co.uk
01903 207 408
http://www.molokini.co.uk
