Red Cross launches young shop volunteer qualification
Howard Lake | 23 May 2007 | News
The Red Cross is launching the ‘British Red Cross Certificate in Retail Skills’, the UK’s first nationally recognised qualification specifically designed for young charity shop volunteers. The charity hopes that it will allow young volunteers to channel their efforts into a recognised qualification.
With one in three people in Britain defined as ‘youth’, young people represent the second largest element of the customer base for charity shops, with 15% of 18 to 24 year olds visiting a charity shop more than 21 times a year.
Miranda Bradley, retail development adviser at the British Red Cross said: “By recruiting more young people to volunteer in Red Cross shops, the shops will become more attractive to young customers. The new Certificate will enable young volunteers to reach their potential, empowering then to make the most of their time with us, building up something tangible and useful for the future.”
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The certificate was developed and designed by young volunteers under the age of 26. Young people were involved from the outset, with a young intern managing the project. Two new roles for young retail volunteers were created in the Trading Department of the British Red Cross to encourage youth participation at a local and national level.
Lucy Pugh, 17, a volunteer who helped devise the Certificate comments, said: “The Certificate is a fantastic way to get more young people involved in the work of the organisation in the way that suits them, as it can be tailored to the tastes and interests of the young volunteers. Being able to participate in this qualification will help keep volunteering exciting and make it a recognisable achievement.”
The British Red Cross ‘Certificate in Retail Skills’, developed according to the Russell Commission criteria , is available at both standard and advanced levels.
The standard level is an introduction to retail, allowing young volunteers to develop the skills needed for paid employment in retail. The advanced level is designed for longer-term volunteers and allows young people to get involved in in-depth projects such as managing a department in the shop or developing skills in visual merchandising.
The British Red Cross is also launching the ‘Retail Innovation Fund’ that will make four awards of £250 available for young retail volunteers for innovative and creative projects that will increase shop sales or raise awareness of a British Red Cross shop within the community.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.