Three cheers for young volunteers

Last week we were back at the Scottish Parliament for an event hosted by the Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf. It was in honour of Police Scotland’s Youth Volunteers, an organisation that has an active presence in Cumbernauld.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was there to hear the testimonies of the young people, their adult instructors and our very own Tracy Lambert, as they spoke about how volunteering in Cumbernauld has affected their lives and benefited the community.

Sadly it is all too common today to leap towards a negative conclusion when we think about the impact of teenagers, but these young people are showing why that view is wrong. They’ve become a familiar sight, attending community events and helping out organisations of all types.

They’ve dressed up as zombies to help marshal the crowds at our popular HallowScream event and if you’ve ever walked the path down from the entrance at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Luggiebank Wood reserve, then you have them to thank for making it a much more pleasant place to walk.

They’ve also helped us maintain the new orchard at St Maurice’s Pond and the Totem Bench in Cumbernauld Glen Wildlife Reserve.

It’s always been a pleasure working with these young people so it was inspiring to hear them talk about the big difference that volunteering has made for them in their own lives. This is the message that comes back to us again and again, volunteering changes lives for the better.

If you’d like to find out more about the volunteering opportunities available within the Cumbernauld Living Landscape then simply get in touch, or drop us a line through our Facebook page.

Paul Barclay, Community Networks Officer