Mahdlo youth club in new recruit appeal

OLDHAM’S new £5million youth club, Mahdlo, is searching for an enthusiastic team of volunteers to help youngsters from across the borough in a whole host of ways.

Youth work manager Andy Jackson is the man hoping to recruit an army of volunteers to help run the magnificent new centre when it opens in November.

Volunteers will be assisting Mahdlo’s chief executive, to be appointed in a few weeks’ time after an exhaustive interview and selection process. A team of staff are also in the process of being recruited.

Andy (33) is looking to sign up people to help in four key areas –– youth work, arts, sports and mentoring. Not only will the volunteers be helping local youngsters, they will also be helping themselves in terms of personal development and adding impressively to a CV for university, college or the world of work.

Said Andy: “It is about giving a little and gaining a lot. We want people to see this as an investment in young people’s futures as well as a great path for their own personal and professional development.

Andy says that mentoring is one of the key areas of the helping-hands project.

“We are looking to set up the provision of one-to-one or group sessions for young people to help them face the future with more confidence and self-awareness.

“It is all about giving young people a credible adult or positive role model can turn to,” says Andy.

He wants volunteer mentors to be able to give at least an hour a week to spend time with a young person on a neutral ground where that young person will feel comfortable.

Andy added: “What is important is that people who come forward have an interest in working with young people and it doesn’t matter what they have done before or if they are unemployed.”

Volunteers can also step forward to help with a range of regular events, activities and duties from running casual youth groups to leading sports sessions and arts workshops.

All volunteers will be subject to enhanced criminal record checks.

Anyone interested should contact Andy on 01204-362 128 or email andyjackson@onsidenorthwest.org