Big Society's Big Mouth Powered by v

As children and students enter a crucial stage of their lives where they are expected to work for themselves, cater for themselves and indeed learn new things by themselves; I strongly think that it is important that independence is invigorated and encouraged throughout the younger generation. Many challenges await them and it is largely important that they must be seen as the worlds future, strength and power - they must be given the correct incentive towards achievement and success.  Read less

The Big Society is surely Camerons way of carrying on what his predecessors started in following a neo -liberal ideology. It is this theory of hollowing out the state. Where before public services were offered by a large public workforce, we now have private companies fulfilling public service tasks (e.g. PPI School building and management, PPI hospitals etc, public waste disposal by private companies). The idea in the Big Society, is to extend this 'hollowing out of the state' to the volunteer sector. It gives a role to NGOs - which I imagine would be able to bid for funding from the government to carry out certain tasks. Government has changed from 'big government' directing structures, to governance - that is, enabling socio –political interactions between government departments, the private sector - and now it is hoped, with NGOs too. Its a good idea, unfortunately Cameron and this government have failed to communicate the idea effectively and in simple terms to a public who do not study politics.  Read less

Well, firstly, goodbye. I'm not 25 for much longer. I know this site is pretty much abandoned but I'm not sure where else to post this and don't really use Facebook any more.

Weirdly, I don't actually do much volunteering anymore. Anyone else found that? The lack of funding has made things almost impossible. A lot of groups and organisations don't appear to be mentioning this at all really, which seems weird. Has the effect not kicked in for others yet or are people trying to put a positive spin on things or what?

If anyone's still around it would be interesting to know what the world of volunteering is like for people right now.

Volunteering over the years has been interesting. Mostly fun. And I have had some unusual things happen through it - I met the Prime Minister, I won a holiday, I appeared on TV (I'm not saying what, it's embarrassing...) And one project I did involved me failing miserably in front of 100,000 people. It's been bizarre.

I'm not sure how it's changed my life. Various fluffy statements are thrown around about the benefits of volunteering, but it tends to be a bit simplified.

Volunteering hasn't helped me find a job, and probably won't.
It has helped my health improve. Although sometimes made it worse, due to the stress. And I've been hit in the face while volunteering (by a volunteer age over 25 btw), insulted a few times and treated like an idiot lots of times, and none of that helps.
It helped with my agoraphobia; weirdly it was the holiday I won from a volunteering website that helped in the most dramatic way, and that was quite a random thing. I hadn't been on holiday for 10 years and probably never would have gone abroad if it wasn't for winning that.
It helped me feel like a useful human being. Unemployment tends to destroy all self esteem. And I'm freakishly clever (if you don't blow your own trumpet no one else will...), but too ill to go to university or get a job, so had pretty much nothing at all to do with my brain was several years, and it's frustrating. Volunteering gave me something to work on. Although I think it's very hard for someone to make full use of their skills through volunteering: I didn't. Too many people just want volunteers to simple tasks like litter picking.
I wouldn't say volunteering made me any new friends either. Some acquaintances though, and I spent more time with people I already knew.
Did it give me a warm happy feeling inside? I'm not sure...

Have I missed any great volunteering cliches?

I'd kinda like to write a book about volunteering. Anyone else considering that? But I'm not sure, because I suspect it would be the bits that went wrong that would make the most entertaining read!

I think people often have quite a boring view of volunteering. Volunteering gets presented as "nice", and nice is bland. The world of volunteering is fascinating and bizarre and crazy and funny. It involves rewriting Black Sabbath songs and everything. And yes, sometimes being hit in the face by a pensioner, or crying all the way home from Birmingham to Leeds. Definitely not just endless tales of going to volunteer at the pet shelter and finding it "so rewarding".

Currently, the only place I volunteer is at an amateur rugby league team as a statistician and sometimes (unconventional) fundraiser. It involves rugby players; they're unique. And sometimes free chocolate. And often naked bums. I'm not as fond of that part. But I'd recommend it. Read less

Hi All

Hope you're all well.

Been a while since I posted.

Just wanted to let you all know we're still fighting hard for young people. We've been speaking to the local council, our MPs and have even manage to speak to Nick Hurd under our local MPs behalf. We're moving forward in every way possible.

We are in a very strong position at the moment. As you're well aware, the riots saw young people take to the streets and cause chaos. It is the minority who contribute to the negative stereotype but KIC FM have been at the forefront providing a service for the community tackling that negative image.

Young volunteers insisted getting back involved with KIC and we made the decision to temporarily re-open to help diffuse the situation. Our young people been active, broadcasting messages of calm to their peers and getting views from local people during and after the incidents.

KIC FM have also been on the forefront of the riots leading the social networks coverage on twitter. We provided Wolverhampton with factual, real time updates from 4pm - 11pm with young people leading the way whilst monitoring key members of West Midlands Police closely on twitter, We as an organisation brought positivity back to young people. We received hundreds of messages of support, from Councillors, Labour MPs, Celebrities and the people of Wolverhampton during the incidents. Some examples.

@WolverhamptonLD
WolverhamptonLD
though think it is a great shame that the Prime Minister failed to meet with @KICfm whilst visiting Wolverhampton

@WV11
WV11.co.uk
Great to hear @KicFM - the real voice of Wolverhampton youth urging teens to go home & stay out of the city centre this afternoon/evening!

@AqueousGraphics
Julie Metcalfe
@KICfm great coverage tonight of the riots in wolves - you've done brilliantly - a real inspiration!

@stattosteve
Steve Hermon
@TheDiaryOfJay Agree with you. Well done to @KICfm. Some dedicated young people volunteer there. They've put some full-time media to shame.

We also reported live for Sky News due to the detail of our coverage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RyHAn8NNUY&feature=share

Following on from the riots, BBC London phoned us to be part of the audience of Young Voters' Question Time. It was an amazing experience, yet again acting as positive role models for our youth of Wolverhampton. Attached are photos of myself and a young volunteer in front row

To see brilliant work our young people carried out in the last week alone, please visit.....

www.kicfm.com/shows/riots

You will also find a blog there about my personal experience deep in the riots.

Hope you're all well.

Kenny Mach
Station Manager
www.kicfm.com

www.twitter.com/kenny_mach
www.twitter.com/kicfm
www.facebook.com/kic.fm Read less