Residential volunteering ideas for a 19 y/o?

[Sadik]

DD has asked if I'd seek the wisdom of MN for any ideas she's missed.
She's looking for a residential volunteering placement medium/long term (I guess ideally 3 months plus, 6 months would be ideal).

She found Volunteering Matters and was very excited by the description of the opportunities potentially on offer, but isn't getting anywhere with her application (no response to email / phone messages).

Ideally somewhere urban, and starting sooner rather than later (YHA volunteer warden would be great, but they're not recruiting now), she's pretty competent, volunteers at local library, has done IT help sessions for older people etc. She can also drive a tractor / use a chainsaw etc but really wants to do something for a change from rural / agricultural work (so probably not WWOOFing)

Any thoughts gratefully received! She wants to be in the UK, and working ideally in a group setting (so not au pair-ing for example).

Care home setting? Could probably be paid too.

It definitely needs to be residential, we're in rural Wales & the key point for her is being somewhere else (!!).

She doesn't want to just move to a city / get a job, obviously at the moment that would probably be quite simple, but she's very shy (in social settings, ironically she's fine in a work setting), so wouldn't find it easy to build a social group from scratch.

She's looking for a residential volunteering placement
That's a bit vague. Why is she volunteering, to what purpose? Why volunteering and not paid work?

She might be better off signing with an agency that recruits to residential posts? Volunteers are so unpredictable that organisations who really rely on staff living in are better off with paid staff.

What about Scout Centres? They have a number of volunteers that work for them and they also have some accommodation.

Cross-post.
Why can't she get a residential job? You often build up a social circle from work, especially from an intense (24/7) environment.

Off the top of my head: hospitality, boarding school.

Scout centres is a good thought, I'll suggest that to her. She's found an organisation that runs holidays for disadvantaged children which I think she might apply to as one option but again wouldn't be until next summer.

I guess the reason for volunteering as opposed to looking for paid work is that there tends to be a lot more learning opportunities & support. She's been working loads since 6th form college ended abruptly in March 2020, and not spending much because Covid, so has plenty of savings put away.

"You often build up a social circle from work, especially from an intense (24/7) environment."
Not so much if you only want 3-6 months work though, especially over winter?

Look at rock UK - my friends run the centre in Scotland.

Rock UK looks absolutely spot on - except they say you have to be Christian unfortunately. (Simon community is one other we came up with, they're happy to take non-religious people, but not sure that 19 might be a bit young for them)

I volunteered with Vitalise years ago and loved it - it is supporting respite breaks for people with disabilities, looks like they offer long-term volunteering opportunities
revitalise.org.uk/volunteer/volunteer-at-a-revitalise-centre/

That's exactly the sort of thing she's been looking for Coffeemonster :) :)

Does she have any hobbies of such or a skill she wants to learn?

I think there’s a Buddhist retreat near Leicester that relies on volunteers.

Maybe if she looks for internships and some of them will have accommodation. Maybe she needs to get creative and find her own placements I.e. approach charities that she’s looking to gain skills in XYZ especially in places that have accommodation I.e. national trust.

Really she's looking for a complete change, so very much open to ideas (hence asking on here to get some more suggestions!)

My sister works for the YHA. They are recruiting soon I believe. She could always get in touch with an individual hostel and see what they can do.

That's a good idea toddlertea - she's been keeping an eye on the YHA website, but contacting individual hostels would be a thought.

Most staff in rural areas live in. But she's be doing jobs like cleaning and painting. So maybe not what she's after.

I think L'Arche take on volunteers and provide food and accommodation. It's working with adults with learning disabilities in a supported home environment.

I think YHA might be less appealing, but I know she has been looking at their options - I think the actual jobs would be fine, but it's about whether there's that group social aspect (and if they're looking for people in less rural locations). I guess it depends what else she finds / what sort of time scales.

Yes, L'Arche is definitely on her list along with Simon community

For anyone else with young adult children looking for interesting experiences, other places dd is looking include HelpX and the Diggers & Dreamers communities website (specifically from there Braziers Park near Oxford).

Any more suggestions welcome, both because her current experience is lots of places aren't actually taking volunteers right now, or alternatively have lots of applications, and also because she could potentially do a few things between now & next autumn :)

@Sadik the YHA definitely has the social side, the hostels in the lane duster icy seem very close knit. My sister and her partner used to live in the staff flats and it was a great atmosphere.

Thanks Toddler that's good to know :)

Calvert trust are always looking for volunteers

They have 3 centres in the Uk- Exmoor, Lake District and Kielder forest

They are open all year round and provide holidays for disabled people

They often advertise on their Facebook pages .

Oh, that looks like another really good one. Thank you so much all, there's a fair few here that I don't think she's come across in her searches :)