Age: 20
Placement: VoluntEar Editor at ProjectScotland
Before Placement: Unemployed

Calum was interested in creative writing and had also thought about the possibility of volunteering. ProjectScotland's subsistence allowance meant this could become a realistic option and he started his placement in January. His responsibilites include writing and editing the VoluntEar and creating and maintaining the ProjectScotland Bebo and Myspace pages. Getting these set up successfully has been one of Calum's biggest achievements so far as it has given volunteers another point of contact within ProjectScotland and is a great place to promote events. "It's a great position to be in to be editing a magazine. Plus, I like the fact that I'm helping myself and making a difference at the same time. When my placement ends in July, I'm going to send CVs out looking for writing work, and I think that editing VoluntEar will really stand me in good stead to take the next step in my career. I'll definitely stay in touch with ProjectScotland and keep volunteering if I can. It's really rewarding, and it's such an amazing experience."