Terry Ryall

Dr. Terry Ryall is founding Chief Executive of v, the youth volunteering organisation and the one behind vinspired.com

v 's goal is to inspire each new generation of 16 to 25s to be active in their communities and change things for the better.

Terry regrets that she has over 30 years experience of working with young people in a variety of settings from the streets of Belfast at the height of the Troubles to ‘secrecy' in Coventry with young women running away from unwanted arranged marriages. She's been CEO of Girlguiding UK and a Director of the Prince's Trust. As well as an experienced practitioner Terry has 3 degrees at Bachelor, Masters and Doctorate levels – all about young people.

She passionately believes in the transformative power of volunteering for young people themselves, for local communities and for society at large.

Terry loves family, motorcycling, puzzles, sailing in fair and foul weather, and is known by her husband as ‘the gadget queen'.

Young people, volunteering & accreditation

Key government policy, new funding streams and the statutory duty to provide local positive activities, all point to an urgent imperative to involve young people in library services. Dr Terry Ryall, CEO of V, the leading national charity for youth volunteering, sounds a compelling call to action for libraries to engage young volunteers during an economic crisis which is having a catastrophic effect on young people's employment chances. Claire Styles from The Reading Agency argues that reading-based volunteering is the answer; whilst Ben Haydock talks about his personal journey from young volunteer to the start of a promising career with Bolton libraries.