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Name: | Calum Barron |
Age: | 25 |
Year of the Fix: | 2016 |
Location: | Penarth, Wales |
Campaign: | To encourage young people to volunteer abroad |
I am passionate about volunteering because I believe it saved my life. I now have a job in landscaping that I enjoy, a beautiful son and a good life, but if I hadn't gone abroad I don't think I could have turned things around.
When I was younger I was hyperactive and diagnosed with ADHD. I never got on at school and was labeled a naughty lad. I was in a load of fights. Before I went volunteering I was getting into trouble with the police, I was a mess and things were just basically escalating and escalating.
I was getting into drugs because I was hanging around with the wrong sort of crowds and I was going out getting heavily drunk and would have ended up in prison or dead.
Luckily my probation officer suggested I volunteer on this scheme in Italy. I went over there with a bit of an attitude but I quickly learned you don't have to be whatever you were back home, you can just be yourself.
I did forestry work and enjoyed working on the land. I met so many people from different countries and learned so much. There are lots of schemes like it available to everyone.
I have now volunteered in three countries - Poland and Lithuania as well as Italy.
It's the best thing I've ever done.
I would like to thank Leila Usmani from the European Voluntary Service for providing an interview for the broadcast item.
Shak & Natasha
Becky
Liam Thomas
Olivia G
Me and my friends want young people to know that calories aren't the enemy!
Shannon Rawlings
Mason Latey
Meghann
Fern Lulham
Jade Kingdom
Kiki
'Kate'
Alexandra Garrick
Hafsa Ur-Rehman
Sam Womack
Tilly and Bella
Lauren Taylor
Shano
Sam Barakat
Ethan Mcinally