9th August 2018 • My Family Our Needs

Young people from Glasgow have successfully completed Leonard Cheshire’s ‘Can Do’ volunteering programme.

The charity’s innovative ‘Can Do’ programme sees young people with additional support needs gain new life skills through training and volunteering opportunities at the heart of their local communities.

The young Glaswegian volunteers have taken part in a community-based project, learning about the social challenge of homelessness which affects the most vulnerable people in the city.

Students from the City of Glasgow College worked with the fantastic Possobilities charity to provide vital support services for homeless people in Glasgow. By collaborating with the Marie Trust, the Can Do participants received first aid training and made up toiletry bags and ‘thinking of you’ gift cards for homeless people.

The Can Do volunteers also gained first-hand experience of working in a Shelter charity shop in the heart of the city, giving up their time to learn how to help Glasgow’s homeless community. They also volunteered with the Emmaus charity, a leading organisation which helps homeless people find their place in society.

The volunteers collaborated with Frank McGowan of the Bad Pony Media Group to make a film about homelessness. Charting their Can Do experience, the film highlights the underlying issues which lead to people becoming homeless. In creating the film, volunteers learnt about the skills needed in media and the art of film-making.

One volunteer, John, said “our Can Do journey included learning new skills, meeting new people, hearing real life stories and giving back to our home city.” Reflecting on his Can Do experience, he said “homelessness is something that we must tackle together as a society, ensuring that it becomes a thing of the past.”

The hard work and dedication of the volunteers has also seen them attain qualifications, including the SQA National 1 Gold Award, which will help prepare them for employment and training opportunities in the future.

The volunteers were presented with their awards by Stewart McDonald MP. Mr McDonald praised the Can Do volunteers and said “I’m delighted to offer my wholehearted support to Leonard Cheshire’s Can Do programme. All too often in the past, young people with disabilities have been denied the chance for personal development and have observed their communities from the side lines. Can Do changes things for the better. It brings more opportunities for self-development and more chances to build personal independence and self-confidence.”

The new and existing Can Do projects in Scotland are possible thanks to funding from Howdens Joinery, the charity’s partner.