Echoing the current situation for many graduates, Kristian found it difficult to find a job after working hard to put himself through university. Instead of complaining or sitting around waiting for a job to come to him, Kristian thought about his community and decided to volunteer his time. His commitment led to him being recognised as runner-up in the community category for the Young Achievers Awards.
Kristian was a founding member of the North Lincolnshire Youth Action Team, a group made up of other young volunteers dedicated to tackling issues within their community. Among these is the conservation and transformation of limited green space into an area of beauty which everyone can enjoy. Kristian, along with two other volunteers is attempting to create a Japanese garden in the heart of Scunthorpe with the aim of creating a striking visual attraction for all the people of North Lincs to enjoy. The group also tries to encourage more people to become volunteers, thus changing their community for the better.
One of the major projects Kristian was instrumental in was the ‘Don’t V Alone’ event. The campaign was organised to raise awareness of disability and challenge people’s perceptions of it. The three tiered event included tasks intended to encourage able- bodied people to think about the everyday jobs taken for granted which pose great difficulty for those with disabilities. One such task was attempting to reach the top floor of the local library, which highlighted the constant struggle of those who rely on wheelchairs for their mobility. The event also included a giant Chinese whisper, drawing attention to those with hearing difficulties and as anyone who has played Chinese whispers can imagine, on a giant scale, this probably resulted in many interesting results; especially when the phrase “a purple monkey in a refrigerator” is thrown into the mix!
The event, which raised over £800 for Leonard Cheshire is just one example of Kristian’s selflessness and community spirit. He has also previously raised over £300 for Comic relief with a V-bay auction, undertaken a sponsored climb of Mount Snowdon for RNLI and gone on a sponsored 55 mile cycle ride from York to Scunthorpe, which raised an amazing £500 for local charities.
The skills which Kristian has developed through his volunteering have enabled him to secure employment, but this doesn’t stop him from continuing to volunteer. He’s also been approached to write some articles for a local magazine. In one, Kristian writes about the benefits reparation schemes have for young offenders. Throughout his volunteering, he has endeavoured to change the perception of young people.
Kristian’s youth volunteer advisor, David Plumtree, said:
“The publicity he has gained has helped a different generation to view young people in a positive light and we can’t thank him enough”.
Undoubtedly, the young people of North Lincolnshire he has helped would wholeheartedly agree.
[...] Tipple and Kristian Reed will be taking a tour and tea with Baroness Hanham at the House of [...]