A GENERATION OF teenagers will learn life skills through service to others thanks to ASDAN's pioneering work on a qualification for community volunteering. The educational charity designed the framework for the National Citizen Service scheme (NCS), piloted last year as part of the government's Big Society idea. The eight-week NCS summer volunteering programme will eventually be open to every 16-year-old in Britain — and the government is considering awarding an ASDAN qualification for it. ASDAN, based in Bristol, encourages its own staff to volunteer for charity, too, scoring 90% positive, in fifth place among small organisations in the not-for-profit sector. Employees with a year's service can take five days' paid leave for charity work and, after five years, the organisation will pay to send a staff member to Sri Lanka for five days to help a school it supports. Volunteers may contribute by teaching English or sports, or helping to build facilities. All over Britain more than 200,000 young people benefit from ASDAN's courses each year, learning skills to get them ready for work and for life. Its qualifications are offered by more than 6,000 centres, mainly schools and colleges but a growing number by training providers, voluntary sector agencies and prisons. Staff feel their pay is fair for their responsibilities and fair compared with similar posts elsewhere (both 80%, top scores). An administrative officer typically earns just over £17,500 a year plus performance-related pay. Managers care about how satisfied team members are in their jobs (78%, sixth), and deal with the workforce openly and honestly (84%, fifth). Everyone is fairly treated here, staff say (71%, a top 10 score). www.asdan.org.uk
