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.
Ellie is 17 and from Hull. She is currently studying Biology, Sport and German at college, where she initially started volunteering. In 2021-22, Ellie completed 59 volunteering hours at college, with additional hours gained through the Medical Academy. Ellie started volunteering to meet like-minded people and said the best thing about volunteering was the social aspect, giving her the opportunity to talk to new people and become more adaptable in different situations: “It’s a great experience, anyone who has the chance to do it definitely should”.
Ellie attended a StreetGames residential in October 2021 and was keen to become a Young Advisor as result – valuing being able to “give other people the opportunity to experience things you’ve already experienced” as one of her personal highlights of volunteering. At Summer Camp, Ellie took the lead in activities and encouraged young people to step out of their comfort zones. Her ability to use her initiative and leadership skills to engage young people shone through, as she often started games such as Splat and encouraged attendees to play in the Zorb balls to ensure they were enjoying themselves, taking part in positive activities and making the most of the Summer Camp experience.
Summer Camp provided Ellie with the opportunity to build upon her skillset, especially her communication skills through working with different types of people: “Some young people are really nervous and some are really outgoing, and you need to know how to communicate with both”. Ellie planned to attend another residential in Summer 2022 with her college, where she hoped to embed these skills and continue to develop as a volunteer.
On a professional note, Ellie hopes to become a haematologist, and would also like to continue working with StreetGames. And her overall goals? “I just want to be happy and it’s a bonus if I make other people happy, like my mum and my dad because they’ve made me happy all of my life.”
