Young members
The Talyllyn Railway’s Young Members Group consists of all the young volunteers aged between 14 and 25 who volunteer in any way on the Talyllyn Railway. The group is separate from Talyllyn Tracksiders, which welcomes younger volunteers up to the age of 14. However, the transition between the two groups is simple as the YMG welcomes everyone, both new and returning members and is an excellent environment for young people to experience life away from home and take the most satisfaction from volunteering on the Railway.
The group was formed in 1992 with the aims of representing, supporting and organising events for young volunteers on the Railway. The group regularly organises social events on and away from the railway, including in recent years: New Year’s Eve entertainment, Go-Karting and summer day trips to different locations.
The most significant feature of the group is that it has a very supportive nature, new volunteers will find that the people teaching them the essential skills of volunteering will often be young people like themselves, having been in the same situation fairly recently. For the trainers, the experience of passing on their experience to others strengthens their knowledge and also improves their communication and skills as a trainer. The YMG has a strong presence in the Talyllyn Railway’s volunteer hostel “Llechfan” where there is a powerful social atmosphere. This also instils the responsibility for each other and helps develop life skills as well as offering a safety net for new people finding their feet in Tywyn and away from home.
The Young Members play an important role in the operation of the Talyllyn Railway; we are proud that we have been able to demonstrate our commitment through ‘YMG Days’ where the entire railway is operated by members of the group. The last YMG Day was held during the summer of 2010; we look forward to holding such events in the future, perhaps to celebrate the group's 20th birthday in 2012. Look out for further information if you are interested in seeing the contribution that young people make to the Talyllyn Railway.
Young people involved with the Talyllyn Railway benefit through what they experience there, experiences which are not taught in the classroom at school or college. Most volunteers are proud to be able to write on their CVs or UCAS applications about their involvement with the Railway, and employers and admission tutors are equally interested to read about the different experiences that strengthen and define those involved.
The YMG will always welcome new members, anyone who is interested should contact the Talyllyn Railway or ask any young person whom you see working when you come and visit us.
