Voltage Programme: Mapping the Individual Journeys of Young Volunteers
A technique encouraged and supported by the Voltage evaluator was a focussed approach to mapping and capturing individual journeys.
This page is part of a resource collection for practical guidance around providing volunteering opportunities.
From the induction events young volunteers drew maps of their lives. This evoked a sense of self reflection about what they had achieved and also encouraged great sharing and empathy amongst those they shared their maps with.
Comments from Voltage partners:
"Mapping of individual journeys was a really lovely way to focus in on individual needs and interests".
"Mapping helps young people to be able to see where they have come from and where they might want to go".
How to support young people to draw their map
- Build up a positive and trusting relationship with the young people
- Tell them that they don’t have to share anything they don’t want to
- Let them know why they are doing (so you can better understand who they are, where they have come from and what their aspirations might be)
- Let them know that the contents of their map and what they choose to share in a closed group will remain within that group
Click here to see examples of some young people’s maps from the Voltage programme.
Other tools for enabling reflection and capturing evidence
At SoundLINCS two young people who volunteered on ‘Trick or Treat’ spent a day with us creating colourful diaries about the event. This gave us an opportunity to talk about all aspects of the project; learn what they felt particularly proud of and pleased about; assess what they might do differently with a similar project in the future; reflect on their own learning and any new skills acquired. The process of working on the diaries as a group was also brilliant for relationship building and deepening our understanding about how to work most effectively with individual young people.
Radio/audio recordings as a method of capturing and reflecting on achievements
CYMAZ and Future Projects Voltage volunteers were very active in developing radio production skills and producing radio content for other young people. Through the development of their skills, they were able to use radio as a medium to not only share their ideas and interests but is also an effective way to capture achievements.
FILM AS A METHOD OF CAPTURING AND REFLECTING ON ACHIEVEMENTS
Several films were made throughout the Voltage programme to capture the various events organised by and for volunteers. In this video, made at the Extreme Voltage event, volunteers are encouraged to reflect on their experiences of being a volunteer and the affect it has had on their lives and personal development:
Individual learning plans were also effectively used across the Voltage programme to help to support the personal development of volunteers. The example below asks volunteers to set aims and objectives and reflect on their progress: