Volunteer Application pack
Thank you for your interest in volunteering at Wigan Youth Zone.
We are looking for a range of enthusiastic people with varying skills, talents
and interests to work within a variety of roles within Wigan Youth Zone and
with our young people. Please note our volunteers must be a minimum of 18
years old.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or require any
information prior to returning your completed application form.
To enable you to become an active volunteer as soon as possible, please
complete and return your application form as soon as possible. You will then
be invited to attend a short informal interview and complete a DBS disclosure
form.
The team at Wigan Youth Zone look forward to receiving your application very
soon.
Selina Hayes
01942 612060
selina.hayes@wiganyouthzone.org
Registered Charity Number 1134451
Do something rewarding, worthwhile and be part of something
AMAZING:
Wigan Youth Zone is a purpose built, state of the art youth facility. We offer a
safe, exciting and stimulating environment to young people between the ages
of 8 to 19 years. With a minimum of 20 activities every night we offer a huge
range of fun, constructive and developmental activities and opportunities
which inspire and empower all young people; all for an affordable, nominal
entry fee of just 50p. We give young people ‘Somewhere to go, Something to
do and Someone to talk to’
We are open whenever school isn’t; 7 days a week, 52 weeks of the year,
between 16:00 – 21:00 every week day and 10:00 till 22:00 at the weekend.
We’re also open between 08:00 - 22:00 throughout the school holidays.
Wigan Youth Zone is open to all young people who want to become a
member, regardless of their age, which school they go to or where they live.
Why Volunteer?
 Make a difference to a young person’s life. Everyone has something to
offer.
 Volunteering is a fantastic opportunity to meet new friends who share
similar interests to you.
 With our training and development programmes, volunteering offers a
great way to learn new skills and build your confidence. You will also
gain valuable work experience which may help you become clearer on
the career direction you wish to choose and can lead to career
progression.
 By volunteering at Wigan Youth Zone you are doing something
worthwhile and giving back into your community by creating positive and
encouraging opportunities for young people.
 Volunteering is fun!! You will have a great time by taking an active part in
something amazing that really does enrich the lives of young people.
Opportunities at WIGAN YOUTH ZONE
Volunteer Youth Worker:
All our Youth workers are passionate about inspiring young people to be the
best that they can be. In a professional and young person centred
environment, we adopt a fun and supportive approach to enable young people
to socialise, join in activities, and access advice and information to gain
personal development opportunities.
Regular sessions would include working with either Juniors (8 - 11yrs) or
Seniors (Secondary school age and over). We will also run a number of Girlsonly sessions, for example, girls gym class or girls football coaching. There are
also fantastic opportunities to really change lives in exciting ‘Outreach’
programmes which target young people on the streets to encourage them to
access Wigan Youth Zone in a controlled and alcohol and drug-free state.
There are opportunities available to work and have fun within the recreational
area and to be within the ‘hub’ of the club. This is a general support network,
participating in informal educational discussions. You can make such a
difference by simply making time to kick a football, play a game of pool or
simply make yourself available to chat.
Experience is not as important as a willingness to learn and seeing things from
the point of view of the people we support.
Sports Volunteer:
Sport is a corner stone of any effective youth Zone and at Wigan Youth Zone
we pride ourselves in the facilities that we have to offer. Alongside our 4 flood
lit astro turf pitches, we have a 10.5m high climbing wall, a boxing gym and a
state of the art gymnasium. We will also offer a purpose built skate park,
basketball, netball and badminton courts, as well as cricket, cheerleading,
martial arts, fencing, rounders, trampolining, wrestling and much, much more.
Outdoor adventure volunteer:
We are looking for volunteers who are keen to embrace the wonders of the
outdoors with our camping trips, orienteering, mountain boarding, canoeing,
caving, abseiling and many more. We will be offering challenge days with
qualified instructors that will not only challenge our young people, but will
challenge you too. You too will be able to try things you haven’t done before
and improve your teambuilding skills whilst supporting our young people to
believe in their own abilities. Alongside this we have an exciting state of the
art climbing wall, where the skills can be practiced inside, before mountain
climbing and abseiling outdoors.
Duke of Edinburgh Award:
We are very proud to offer our young people the Duke of Edinburgh Award. By
supporting the D of E, you’re in for an amazing adventure and lots of fun as
you’ll take part in a range of activities, all leading to our young people gaining
the accreditation of an Award that's recognized by universities and employers
alike.
Gym Instructors:
We are also looking for gym instructors to support members in our fully airconditioned gymnasium with the latest high tech exercise equipment,
including machines which have been used at the London Olympics. We will set
up challenges and targets for young people to take part in to improve fitness,
determination and self-belief.
Sport creates a support system which young people commonly seek out. It
offers a feeling of belonging and loyalty for your team mates who have a
shared purpose. We strive to encourage leadership qualities and a defined
structure where everyone is ‘good enough’.
Disability Worker:
We require volunteers to support and enable young people with additional
needs to fully participate within Wigan Youth Zone. We will offer wheel chair
basketball and compete within local teams and tournaments. Our aim is to
support people to become as independent as possible and maximise their
independent living skills to exercise as much choice and control over their lives
as possible.
Arts Volunteers:
Wigan Youth Zone offers a diverse and stimulating blend of art based activities
that allow our young people the space and time to express their creative
talents in a safe and nurturing environment. We encourage the young
person’s art, design and crafts to be seen and enjoyed by others.
Theatrical dance and performing arts:
Through energetic and enthusiastic volunteers we embrace our young person’s
creative side through dance and drama. We acknowledge the way drama can
allow young people to leave their troubles behind and embrace a different side
of their character, encouraging confidence building and public speaking. We
will offer various dance classes such as tap, modern and ballet and take pride
in putting on fantastic performances of plays and musicals
Fashion and Design:
Fashion design is the art of the application of design and aesthetics to clothing
and accessories. We will encourage young people to work in a number of ways
to design clothing and accessories in an attempt to satisfy consumer desire for
aesthetically designed clothing. This will encourage working to time scales and
understanding the consumer market. As well as designing and creating outfits
for the Wigan Youth Zone performances.
Music Sound and recording:
Wigan Youth Zone is proud to have its very own brass band with all brass
instruments to learn and participate in. We have a state of the art music suite
with acoustic, electric and bass guitars, drums, keyboards and other
instruments as well as a high tech recording studio to bring out the rapper and
or singer in each young person.
MCing and DJing: In our music suite, we have facilities to teach and embrace
the art ‘D J ing’ and ‘M C ing’. (MC stands for master of ceremonies and is the
art of rapping) We will have our very own Wigan Youth Zone radio station
where our young MCs can deliver and broadcast an engaging and exciting form
of communication. Our young people will require support and involvement
from enthusiastic volunteers to complete workshops in order to write and
present for their current audience. This will improve speaking and listening
skills as well as give an opportunity to develop scheduling and organisational
skills. With the radio station, we can reinforce what has been learned in the
classroom by making radio shows about topics covered. We can also give
budding musicians the chance for their music to be recorded and played on the
airwaves to share their good work and talent.
Volunteer office support/ IT/ Receptionist
We also have various opportunities to work within our office, completing
administration duties and reception work. There are opportunities with I.T and
all general admin duties. You can gain valuable experience and improve your
communication and organisational skills.
Volunteer Kitchen assistant and tuck shop assistant
Our large well equipped kitchen provides quality meals and snacks for our
young people at affordable prices. The kitchen is well subsidised to enable
kitchen staff to provide nutritious and delicious meals to all our young people.
We will require enthusiastic, engaging volunteers to help serve food and
snacks. We will also provide cooking courses, sessions and training within the
kitchen environment.
Volunteer Mentor:
Mentoring provides a young person with one – to – one support from someone
who cares. It’s noted that young people feel supported by volunteers as they
know that a volunteer is there because they want to be there. This support is
paramount to help improve confidence and self-esteem, enabling a coping
mechanism away from the troubles of daily life. A mentor will offer support
within their education and employment and be there to listen and encourage
positive outcomes within their life. Mentors reserve one to one time for their
mentee for an hour a week and also attend a monthly social event with all the
other mentors and young people.
Enterprise volunteer:
We require volunteers who can support our young people in learning topics
relevant to planning and running a business and to consider whether selfemployment is right for them. Our members often need a little help and
advice with their career direction and help with both completing CVs and with
interview techniques. It may also be that they require advice and support with
managing money, filling out forms or understanding the small print.
Domestic Life skills volunteer:
Often some members haven’t had the right direction with simple life skills such
as basic cooking, ironing, paying a bill or tying a tie. If you are very
domesticated and take pride in your appearance and home you may be able to
help a young person with this direction.
Trade Skills volunteer:
If you have experience within a particular trade, such as plumbing, bricklaying
or have been an electrician, you can also help at Wigan Youth Zone. Or
perhaps you have experience within nail art, tanning, or hair and beauty. We
will run workshops where you could come and support and teach a young
person a valuable skill that may give them the direction and interest required
to lead them onto a valuable and fulfilling career.
Holiday Club Volunteer:
We require volunteers in all of the previously mentioned opportunities who
can come and help us deliver our extensive holiday programmes during half
terms and the summer holidays. If you have time off from college and
university and looking to gain experience, this would be perfect for you. The
main times would be 8am-12noon, 11am-3pm and 2pm-6pm but there are
other times available if these are not suitable.
Other:
If you have a skill, talent or experience in any other field which you could
engage in with our young people then please do not hesitate to discuss with
us. Wigan Youth Zone is a young person led organisation that will adapt to the
needs of each member and the skills and experience of the volunteers
available.
Training:
At Wigan Youth Zone, we are committed to continual training and support of
all our volunteers. We also offer consistent line management appraisals which
we find are paramount to achieving the high standards of professionalism
within Wigan Youth Zone.
We offer a core training course which all volunteers will complete; this includes
modules on child protection and safe guarding young people, working with
young people and maintaining appropriate relationships and boundaries. It
also includes managing challenging behaviour, working with disabilities and
partaking in small team games and sports.
Our on-going training is reactive to local trends and what the needs are of our
young people.
Time commitment:
We ask that all our volunteers commit to one session per week , but the day
and time is decided by you, however where possible we like our volunteers to
have regular shifts e.. Monday 4-9pm
This allows us to effectively plan our work with young people and ensures they
have the continuity and stability of care that they deserve.
What next? – Getting started:
 Read though the pack
 Choose an opportunity that interests you
 Fill in the application form and return it to us
Then we will:

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Invite you to a short informal chat, where you can find out more
Fill in a DBS Disclosure form
Send for two references which you will have provided
Book you on our training programme
Application Form
About the Role
Position applied for:
Area of interest/opportunity:
Personal Information
Name:
Address:
Date of Birth:
Postcode:
Home Phone Number:
Mobile Phone Number:
Email:
National Insurance Number:
Are there any restrictions to your residence
in the UK which might affect your right to
take up employment in the UK?
Yes
If yes, please provide details below…
No
If you are successful in your application,
would you require a work permit prior to
taking up employment?
Yes
If yes, please provide details below…
No
Do you have any unspent convictions,
cautions, reprimands or warnings?
(Before you answer this question we
must make you aware that you need to
disclose any convictions, cautions,
warnings, reprimands and previous or
pending investigations as these will all
appear on DBS checks, and nondisclosure of the information may
prevent your acceptance as a Wigan
Youth Zone volunteer. The reason for
the above question is based around not
only child protection and health and
safety but also around trust and honesty
between the candidate and the host
agency.)
Yes
No
If yes, please provide details below…
Do you hold a current driving license?
Yes
Please provide details of any current
endorsements on your driving license (e.g.
penalty points or driving convictions)…
No
Employment History
Please provide any information that highlights your skills and the experience gained in your previous
employment, including any voluntary work you may have carried out. Please provide as much
information as possible including any periods when self-employed, unemployed, working abroad etc.
in the ‘gaps in your employment and education’ section below. (Starting with your most recent
employer).
Dates
(Start and
Finish)
Name and Address of Employer
Job Title, Main Duties
and Responsibilities,
Major Achievements
Salary on Leaving,
Reason for Leaving
Education
Please list all relevant education, training, professional qualification and professional memberships.
Please provide as much information as possible including any periods of time out for travelling,
casual work etc. in the following ‘gaps in your employment and education’ section below.
Name & Address of
Dates (start
school/college/organisation and finish)
Subject
Awarding
Body
Qualification/Grades
Are you prepared to make a statutory declaration for any ‘gaps’ in your employment/education
history as shown above?
Y/N (please delete where necessary)
Information to support your application
Please tell us about any work experience or volunteering which are relevant to working with young
people, strengths and skills and what you hope you hope to gain from volunteering at Wigan Youth
Zone.
Ethnicity
Asian / Asian British
Bangladeshi
Chinese
Indian
Pakistani
Any other Asian background
Black / Black British
African
Caribbean
Any other Black background
Mixed / multiple ethnic groups
White and Asian
White and Black African
White and Black Caribbean
White and Chinese
Any other Mixed / multiple ethnic
background
White
British / English / Welsh / Northern Irish /
Scottish
Irish
Gypsy or Irish Traveller
Any other White background
Other ethnic group
Arab
Any other ethnic group
Prefer not to say
Prefer not to say
References
Please list the names and addresses of at least two people from whom a character reference may be
obtained. One of which should be your most recent employer.
Reference
1.
2.
Name
Address
Tel No
Relationship
Declaration
I declare to the best of my knowledge and belief that the information given in this application is
correct. I understand that any false or misleading information given either in this application form or
in any other documentation completed or verbal statement made during the recruitment process
may prevent my acceptance as a Wigan Youth Zone volunteer.
If you are sending this form electronically you will be asked to sign it if you are invited to
interview.
Signature:
Date:
Please return this form by email to: selina.hayes@wiganyouthzone.org or by post to Selina Hayes,
Wigan Youth Zone, Parsons Walk, Wigan, WN1 1RU.