Young Advisors are experienced volunteers who are actively involved with a community organisation in the StreetGames network. For StreetGames Summer Camp 2022, a team of 14 Young Advisors worked with StreetGames staff to take a lead on all aspects of the camp, from initial planning right through to the delivery of the event itself.
Dom is 19 and from Leeds, and is currently studying for a degree in sport and adventure education at university. Dom’s volunteering journey began two years ago with his local basketball club, Let’s Do More (LDM). Whilst working on a project renovating a local court, he met StreetGames regional training lead Kate, who introduced him to the #NextGen training and development programme. Summer Camp was Dom’s second stint as a StreetGames Young Advisor, having previously volunteered at a smaller residential.
During his time at Summer Camp Dom took on a range of responsibilities, including leading a variety of outdoor activities, games and energisers, supporting with Camp logistics and being a point of contact for the young people attending. Despite having coached basketball and football previously, leading activities at this scale and taking on this level of responsibility was a new experience – and one he credits with supporting him to further develop key soft skills, including building relationships and empathising with peers. It has also supported him to build his confidence: “I’m not a very confident person I’d say, I struggle speaking to large groups. But I got up in front of about 100 kids and got on the mic and led activities. I feel like doing this is a big step for me. [Confidence] is not something we’ve tried to improve, it’s just something that comes naturally when you volunteer.”
Despite always having been “sporty”, previous residential and volunteering opportunities with StreetGames were one of the factors that influenced Dom’s choice of degree: “Before getting involved with StreetGames I’d never done kayaking or canoeing before. Doing that sort of stuff … has eased me into it, as it allowed me to have a go in a no pressured situation”. With aspirations to become either a P.E. teacher or an outdoor instructor, the activities on offer and experiences gained at Summer Camp have further supported his ambitions and encouraged him to embrace new experiences: “When I was younger, I was really shut in and not bothered about the world … so doing this sort of thing with StreetGames has really broadened my horizons”.
And is he keen to do something similar in the future? “100% – I’ve been trying to get other young people to sign up as a Young Advisor as well during Camp!”
