12 May 2004

Edinburgh: Scotland’s First Minister Jack McConnel has announced his government’s plan to create "Project Scotland", an organization supporting youngsters to engage in volunteering in local communities.

Scottish ministers will be investing millions of pounds into project to encourage young people, ages between 16 to 25, from poorer backgrounds to help communities during their gap year. The idea is that if people start volunteering young, they are likely to continue later in life.

"Project Scotland has been designed by young people. It gives them what they asked for in the way they want it. It's about the long term. We want to move from a culture of dependence to a culture of responsibility," syas McConnel.

The project, will start next year, aims to sign up an initial 450 young people to work as volunteers. In addition to the living allowance, volunteers will be able to earn points towards winning a grant at the end of their placement to pay for education, training or a business start-up. The project was inspired from United States’ AmeriCorps, where volunteers receive credit for their work.

It is estimated that about a quarter of Scots give some of their own time to help others, contributing up to a billion pounds to the economy every year.

"It would boost volunteering opportunities for the young," says Claire Stevens, head of Community Service Volunteers (CSV) Scotland, part of the UK's largest volunteering charity.

"CSV's experience is that young people who volunteer full-time have a terrific and lasting impact on the communities they serve. We have always championed the right for every young person to have the opportunity to volunteer at home or away from home and we believe strongly that no young person should be rejected or put off from giving their time by financial or other barriers," she adds.

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From: BBC News