We were given an insight to their youth volunteering programmes. Their programmes operate across England, allowing young people to make friends, help the community and take part in events. Furthermore, they are given a chance to learn about the health care environment, build their confidence, and gain important life skills.

St John Ambulance deliver this programme to 8000 young people, aged between 7 – 10 (badgers) and 10 – 17 (cadets), developing their first aid skills and rewarding their efforts with a series of awards, specifically their ‘’Grand Prior Awards’’.

Unfortunately, due to coronavirus and social distancing there has been an impact on these programmes, resulting to no face to face activity, residentials, summer camp, award ceremonies and less volunteers, leading the charity to need more support than ever.

Regardless of these impacts the youth volunteers are fighting back with grassroots activities. Badgers and Cadets have been supporting the community by becoming wellbeing champions, writing motivational messages for those at home during lockdown, and taking part in the care for care homes campaign by writing letters for those in care homes. Furthermore, they are making face masks, fundraising and doing all of this from home!

If you would like to know more about the youth programmes and community projects; or happen to know any young people who would like to join, why don’t you head over to their website: www.sja.org.uk?

We hope the badgers and cadets keep up their good work and continue to support local communities nationwide. Their work is truly inspirational and we are incredibly proud to represent them every day by recruiting new long term donors.