How do you engage young people in the Community Shop
A question was raised at the recent Community Shop Network meeting in Plymouth about how to engage young people in the running of community shops.
A panel of experts and shops present in the workshop suggested the following:
- visit the local school or youth groups to tell them about the shop, and ask them how they would like to be involved
- find out what skills young people have and find opportunities to match - do they want to design marketing materials for example? can they create a website? would they be able to design an on-line ordering system? would they be interested in home deliveries? would they organise a photograph competition or other local event...?
- undertake a survey to find out what products and services young people would like to see in the shop to encourage them to use the shop
Contact the local high school, find out the teachers coordinating the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, and let them know that volunteer work in a community shop is appropriate work for the voluntary part of the scheme. They have to do a certain number of hours for their Bronze, etc. This works very well as they are obliged to turn up and do their time, but they generally really enjoy it and get some insight. It can also be useful to allow them to nominate the community shop as their 'work or business experience' ( most schools expect Years 10 or 11 to do one week of this).
I agree with Helen - contact with the local school makes good sense. We have both work experience and young persons as volunteers at the shop and they are very worth while.