For over 50 years, a student-run charity has been helping children from disadvantaged areas of Edinburgh to improve emotional wellbeing, confidence and social skills through having fun. Image CHV volunteers have fun with the children Children’s Holiday Venture (CHV) is a student-run charity based in Edinburgh, with the mission to improve children’s emotional wellbeing, confidence and social skills. They work with approximately 140 children who have been referred by social workers, schools and GPs. On a fortnightly basis, CHV organise a range of fun and dynamic evening activities from trampolining to swimming, games nights and scavenger hunts. These activities give children the opportunity to participate in activities they would not be able to partake in otherwise, as well as allow them to discover their strengths and grow in confidence. CHV also organise day trips that include educational elements to locations such as the Edinburgh Zoo, Glasgow Science Centre and Dynamic Earth. Older children on these trips are empowered to improve their leadership skills, giving them the opportunity to plan and lead smaller activities throughout the day with support from volunteers. Over the summer period, CHV organises 3-day residential activity camps. For many of the children they work with, this camp will be their first time leaving Edinburgh and being away from their parents and caregivers. This allows them to be challenged in a safe and secure environment, whilst discovering skills that they never thought they had. My favourite moments in CHV were always when you got to see a child try something new, and find out they were really good at it. Zoe, Affiliate of Children’s Holiday Venture This volunteering society was established in 1963 and continues to fulfill the vision of its founders – to provide a safe, supportive and fun environment for the children and young people it works with, and to offer them opportunities they might not normally have. Children’s Holiday Venture consists of a team of over 70 volunteers. All of the volunteers are students at the University of Edinburgh, with vital support from some non-student drivers. These volunteers are provided with high quality training covering child safe-guarding, managing challenging behaviour, first aid, neuro-developmental conditions and gender/sexual identities. My child loves coming to the CHV club. It makes a big difference in her life at the moment so I would just like you to know how very appreciative we are of all the hard work you do with the young people. Parent of a child who attends CHV Volunteers really love being part of Children’s Holiday Venture and sometimes stay on as members even after they’ve graduated. At the 2017 Edinburgh University Students’ Association Activities Awards, CHV volunteers won the Outstanding Contribution Award and the Volunteering Committee Member of the Year for their work with Children’s Holiday Venture. Find out more Visit their Instagram and Facebook to find out more about what they do! To contact CHV, on Facebook or send an email to executive.chv@eusa.ed.ac.uk To make a donation or get in touch about funding, please email: finance.chv@eusa.ed.ac.uk This article was published on 2024-07-22
