This award allows pupils to register with SQA for a Group Award in Volunteering which will provide a qualification at SCQF level 4 or 5. The general aim of this qualification is to give individuals the opportunity of gaining a Scottish qualification which recognises their contribution to volunteering and the learning they gain as a result of being involved in activities additional to their formal learning. Through participation in volunteering activities, candidates will develop a range of skills and personal development experiences which will help to prepare them for responsibility, further education and employment.
Through involvement with the Award in Volunteering Skills it is possible to achieve other awards such as the Saltire Awards, Youth Achievement Award and the Duke of Edinburgh Award all of which can contribute towards the Volunteering Skills award, and all pupils who choose this option will register for the Saltire Awards which are the new Scottish awards designed to formally recognise the commitment and contribution of youth volunteering. Supported by the Scottish Government, the Saltire Awards enable young volunteers to record the skills, experience and learning gained through successful volunteering placements in school or provided by local and national voluntary agencies. This enables all volunteering to be recognised whether it is done in school or not.
Both the Award in Volunteering Skills and the Saltire Award link into the development of skills for life, learning and work, transferrable skills and the development of the skills and attributes of the four capacities of Curriculum for Excellence, for example self-awareness and improvement, citizenship, confidence, self-management, critical thinking, independent thinking, appreciation of values and beliefs, informed decision making and reviewing and evaluating. They will also strengthen a candidates CV by providing formal recognition of volunteering activity undertaken and help volunteers articulate the value of their volunteering experience in job applications and interviews. It is also a useful addition to pupils applying for University to show breadth of experience and responsibility in the senior school.
The Award in Volunteering Skills is suitable for pupils of all abilities, but pupils must have an interest in volunteering and be prepared to work to source a volunteering placement which they can sustain.
The Award consists of 3 Units:
