Volunteering links
If you know you want to give some time but have no idea where to start, you've come to the right place. There are heaps of organisations out there looking for people just like you to get involved in volunteering! Here is our round up of the best places to start finding your perfect match.
Vinspired
What is it? Vinspired is England's national charity for 16- to 25-year-olds to volunteer their time by doing something they enjoy to help others. It is a government-supported initiative and wants to engage young people in one million new volunteering opportunities..
How can I get involved? The easiest way to get involved is to log onto the Vinspired website, sign up and take it from there.
Community Service Volunteers (CSV)
What is it? CSV is all about creating different projects for different needs so that people from all walks of life can get into volunteering.
How can I get involved? With countless projects and schemes, there should be something that suits you:
- The Go scheme is a weekend-only scheme open to anyone over 16 in London.
- Allies act as friends, informal mentors, advisors and role models to 'looked after children', e.g. in care/not living with family. You need to be over 18 and visit for a few hours each week for at least a year but the frequency of visits needs to fit in with the young person's circumstances.
- Gap Year This scheme involves living away from home for four-12 months supporting people in need. Accommodation, meals and a weekly allowance are included.
- There are also full-time schemes, training opportunities and many other projects to get involved in. Make a Difference Day (MADD) is CSV's annual campaign to get people volunteering. Any age can take part and last year over 88,000 people took part.
do-it.org.uk
What is it? The first and only national database of volunteer. do-it hosts the National Volunteering Database, with opportunities supplied by local Volunteer Centres and a variety of other organisations. Many of them are trained and given hardware and software by do-it so they can post their own vacancies on the site.
How can I get involved? Simply type in your postcode, availability and interests and you'll be presented with opportunities in your area - and if anything takes your fancy you can apply directly through the website. There's also comprehensive advice about what to expect when you volunteer, how to find a placement, where to look and how to find a placement abroad.
Guardian Volunteers
What is it? Guardian Volunteers is part of the newspaper's job search site, it offers opportunities to search specific areas of volunteering, such as environment, disabilities and health for placements.
How can I get involved? Set your search according to your area and find the details to apply. Most of the postings are from charities requiring unpaid volunteers for only a few hours a week, some offer paid or full-time positions with expenses covered.
Student Volunteering England
What is it? Student Volunteering England is part of Volunteering England and wants every student to have the opportunity volunteer. They provide an information service, which includes publications, toolkits, news updates and personal support. They also publish 'Grapevine', a tri-annual magazine just for the student-volunteering sector and host the Student Volunteering Week in February each year.
How can I get involved? On the site you can find your nearest Student Volunteering group; most are connected to universities and colleges across England. There are links to their e-mail addresses so people interested can directly contact their nearest student group. Organizations requiring volunteers can also find advice on the site.
TimeBank
What is it? TimeBank is national campaign that aims to make it easier for people - and inspire them - to give time to the community.
How can I get involved? Become a TimeGiver and match your skills, interests and availability with a range of opportunities and a local TimePartner (usually your local Volunteer Centre).
Time Banks
What is it? Not to be confused with TimeBank, this scheme is a network that offers members the opportunity to exchange skills and services - so you get something back as well as giving.
How can I get involved? Give one hour's work and receive a one-hour credit in the time bank. It's a bit like a recycling scheme of people's time and skills that usually goes to waste; you can 'bank' your good deeds and then when you need one in return you can cash it in. Search the site to find information on time banks near you and how to set one up.
WorldWide Volunteering
What is it? The WWV database enables volunteers to build an on-screen profile of their ideal volunteer placement, which is instantly matched against the requirements of over 1550 organisations offering over 1.1 million placements in over 200 countries. The site is aimed at anyone interested in volunteering, taking a gap year, career break or improving their CV, with links to stories about other volunteers.
How do I get involved? Visit Worldwide Volunteering for Volunteers. Searching the database for placements is free.
Article produced by the Choose Action Alliance.
Photo by Zanetta Hardy
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