Marlborough sixth form student helps CAB highlight its services for young people (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Marlborough sixth form student helps CAB highlight its services for young people

2:51pm Tuesday 17th July 2012 in News

A Sixth Form student at St John’s School, Marlborough, has won a competition to design a poster promoting the services offered by the Wiltshire Citizens Advice Bureau to young people.

Carmella Lowkis, 17, took part in the competition which was organised by the Devizes-based CAB, where fellow student, Holly Sumbler, 17, is a Volunteer Gateway Adviser.

Holly is an IB Diploma student and her volunteering work is part of her CAS; Creativity, Action and Service activity.

All IB Diploma students have to complete a minimum of 150 Hours of CAS over two years to achieve their Diploma.

Holly said: “The aim of the competition was that young people would research the CAB and use their creative skills to produce a poster to inform other young people.

"Before I joined the service, I didn’t know what the CAB did and how they could help young people like me.

"We had a fantastic response from several local schools, and the winners have been chosen by the members of the CAB Youth Forum."

Sarah Cardy, Chief Executive of the Wiltshire CAB visited St John’s School on Monday last week to talk to the Sixth Form about the services the CAB is able to offer to young people, and to present Carmella with a voucher prize for the poster competition.

Holly is a regular volunteer with the Devizes CAB and finds it a very fulfilling activity.

“Volunteering for the CAB has provided me with the opportunity to learn and grow.

"I have learnt a lot about my local community and the problems it faces. Some of the people that I have met in the Bureau have changed how I view the world and encouraged me to develop my passion for Law.

"I have seen people from all walks of life dealing with a wide range of problems; problems that I wouldn’t have expected to see in Wiltshire.

"What I failed to see before becoming a Gateway Advisor was just how quickly an issue can take over a person’s life and the dramatic effect it can have."

Wiltshire Citizens Advice provides free, independent and confidential advice on debt, housing, employment, welfare benefits, family and personal matters, consumer contracts, legal procedures, education and health.