A VOLUNTEER from Penarth has been chose to star in a video marking the 20th anniversary of the European Voluntary Service (EVS).

Calum Barron, who was chosen for the role by the European Commission, says volunteering "changed his life", after suffering from mental health problems throughout his youth.

EVS is the part of the Erasmus+ programme that sees young people spend time in another country as a volunteer, helping them to broaden their horizons and gain new skills.

The European Commission has produced two videos, one aimed at encouraging young people to take part, and one aimed at encouraging organisations to send and host volunteers.

Mr Barron is one of only three young people from across Europe selected to feature in the videos, and is the only participant from the UK.

Both videos will be launched this week following their preview in Strasbourg as part of European Youth Week.

He was nominated for the video by the Erasmus+ UK National Agency as his story shows the "life-changing impact that the EVS programme can have on a young person."

In 2010, he travelled to Italy through EVS, supported by Cardiff-based UNA Exchange, a youth organisation that offers community-based volunteering opportunities in Wales and around the world.

Mr Barron said he had no idea of the effect that the experience would have on him.

"I think EVS was the best cure for mental health – better than any drug, therapist or doctor," he said.

"Since I was a kid, I was always in trouble, and then I turned 16 and was getting into worse stuff – trouble with the law, drugs, hanging out with the wrong people.

"I think this was the reason my youth workers arranged to send me to a project in Italy – to keep me out of jail.

"It was a real eye-opener and life-changing. In that place, I started to behave.

"I became quite open-minded because I realised that people in other countries are just people like me.

"I learnt about respect, I learnt about loyalty."

Mr Barron has gone on to take part in and lead other volunteering activities with UNA Exchange in Poland, Wales and Lithuania.

He continues to volunteer, working with children with ADHD and at a homeless shelter.

Since 1996, over 100,000 young people across Europe have been affected by volunteering abroad through the European Voluntary Service with more than 5,000 of them from the UK.

EVS co-ordinator, Leila Usmani, from UNA Exchange said: "We have run EVS for many years and have seen the positive affect it has on so many of our young people, whatever their background or situation, so we are thrilled Calum has been recognised in this way and that he will now help to spread the word about the impact of the programme."