Volunteering Matters January 2016

January 2016

L

et us help you deliver on your best New Year’s resolution ever: to get involved with a local voluntary or community group and really make a difference.

Contact Volunteer Centre One Community on 023 8090 2458 or volunteer@1community.org.uk to find out about the volunteering opportunities listed here and many others on our database – browse on www.do-it.org.

Happy New Year!

Safe Places Link Volunteer One Community is looking for a volunteer to help develop safe places across the Borough of Eastleigh.

One Community is working with Eastleigh Borough Council and the local police to offer support to vulnerable people who become confused, disorientated or feel unsafe while they are out shopping. The volunteer’s role will be to encourage more businesses across the borough to offer their premises as a ‘safe place’. The volunteer will be someone who enjoys talking to people (shop managers, local businesses) who can set out to them what it means to offer a safe place for a vulnerable person to take refuge for a few minutes while they collect themselves or call their carer. Full training and support will be provided and all expenses paid.

The time commitment would be one day or two half days a month, and the volunteer would need to be willing to travel across the borough. Email access would be helpful but is not essential. An understanding of the issues faced by vulnerable people is key.

Community Café Netley The View Community Café has recently been opened in Netley by the social enterprise organisation Groundwork. The café serves drinks, light lunches and baked goods.

The catering element of the role does not require any previous experience. Students (aged 16+) from a local school for young people with complex learning and physical disabilities are working at the café to learn valuable employment skills. The young people are fully supervised by school staff, however they desperately need more volunteers to learn the ropes and extend the café opening hours. The café is part of a non-profit organisation, however they do need to cover their costs. All profits made are invested back into the local community.

They will also be running a number of community groups, such as arts and crafts, book clubs, steps to employment and adult learning courses.

Springboard Trustee Springboard Employment & Training Group, an independent self-help organisation that provides support and assistance to help people make the most of their lives, is looking for a new trustee. An interest in employment, unemployment and training matters would be necessary, and an interest in supporting people in more “difficult” circumstances would be welcome. A background in employment related matters would be useful, but not essential.

The role of the trustee would be to help oversee the development of the work of the charity in response to the realities of the local

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economic and social situation. Also to consider opportunities for the organisation to develop in different ways and areas, while remaining true to its values, ethos and original charitable purpose.

Countess Mountbatten Hospice Charity At The Hospice Shop, Chandlers Ford Opportunity 7 days a week, flexible hours between 9.30am and 4.30pm

The main responsibilities of the role are:  In cooperation with staff and volunteers, to determine the strategic direction of the organisation.  To participate in the assessment of opportunities that arise in terms of how they fit both Springboard’s capacity and strategy.  To support the work of the organisation.  To help oversee the responsible financial running of the organisation.

Essential qualities of a Springboard Trustee:  Experience of the development and implementation of strategic ideas, whether from a voluntary sector, business or other appropriate environment.  Demonstrated good judgement and the ability to consider and evaluate new opportunities and the organisation’s ability to meet them.  The ability to contribute to the development and agreement of important documentation, such as the Business Plan and Annual Report.

Desirable experience:  Working within the charity, voluntary or public sector.  Working within business, commerce or industry.  A track record of attracting income, such as fundraising from charitable trusts or contract funding from “official” bodies.

Time commitment: Trustees meetings are normally held once every three months, with the occasional “Special” meeting. Opportunities to get involved in the development of Springboard would also be available for anyone with the time to do so.

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What’s involved?

As a Volunteer Shop Assistant, you’ll use your good communication and interpersonal skills to ensure that customers have a great shopping experience.

Working in a team, you’ll keep the shop looking presentable and inviting, welcome and assist customers and receive training to operate the tills.

You’ll be given support and encouragement to use your own interests in areas such as fashion, books and antiques to help merchandise and display the stock in a way that will be appealing to customers.

All volunteers will be expected to assist with sorting donated items as part of their role but they are also keen to hear from anyone interested in joining them as a Volunteer Stock Processor.

This role is based in the stock room, will involve reasonable moving and lifting and needs a quick and methodical approach with minimal supervision. A good eye for fashion labels and designer/vintage pieces would be beneficial.

Why should you volunteer the Hospice Shop?

Your time is a valuable gift and the Hospice Shop promises to put it to good use. Every hour you can give will help to raise funds which are used to deliver and enhance services for hospice patients and their families. You’ll be in the heart of the community, representing the charity and raising awareness of their work, as well as raising money!

Volunteering in a shop can benefit you too; it’s a great way to gain work experience, learn new skills, meet new people and become involved in your community. Full training is provided.

Hampshire County Council Community Champions Would you like to meet new people, learn new skills and share your knowledge and know-how with your local community?

If so, Hampshire County Council is looking for volunteer ‘champions’ to help spread messages about how people can save money by throwing away less food and successfully making compost at home.

Champions will be involved in passing on tips and advice to help local residents make the most of the food they buy, in turn helping to reduce the amount of waste disposed of in the county. Could you be a community champion? The type of activities you could be involved in as a champion are:  Giving talks to interested groups, such as community groups, students and businesses.  Identifying and attending suitable local events to promote food and garden tips and advice.  Leading groups in activities to show how they can reduce food waste through smart shopping, meal planning, storage and using leftovers in new recipes.  Demonstrating how to make compost.  Contributing to articles for websites, community newsletters and the local press.

If you are comfortable speaking to groups of people from all backgrounds and believe that you could use your enthusiasm to help change their habits, this could be a great opportunity for you.

Volunteers will be asked to commit around 30 hours over a year, which could include some evenings and weekends. An interest in food and/or prior experience of home composting would be helpful but not necessary as full training will be given. You will be supported by staff and other volunteers.

Applicable travel expenses will be paid and volunteering can be a rewarding way to learn new

skills, gain confidence and obtain references to help with further career development.

Hampshire Innovation Volunteers Could you help support children, young people and families and, in turn, help them avoid the need for extensive Children’s Services intervention?

Hampshire County Council Children’s Services is recruiting volunteers, across the county, to support its Innovation Programme. Full training and support are provided and expenses are refunded. The four volunteering roles are as follows: Family Support You will work alongside parents and carers to provide support using family support techniques which have been proven to work, visiting families in their home to deliver agreed support to improve family relationships and prevent breakdown.

Families come in all shapes and sizes. All families encounter difficult and challenging times and many will find ways to deal with their problems, getting the support they need from friends and relatives. There are times, however, when problems can seem too overwhelming to manage.

Some of the most complex and difficult issues facing families today (including: mental health problems, drug and alcohol issues, domestic abuse, social isolation, learning disabilities), can have a huge impact on the stability of family life, and will have a significant impact on the health, wellbeing and development of all family members.

Hampshire Children’s Services feel that families facing these difficulties should have the support they need to become stronger, happier and healthier. With the right kind of support, families can overcome their difficulties.

Volunteers will receive a full training programme on how to deliver support which will equip them to provide advice using techniques which are proven to have worked. They will visit families, usually in their homes, to build up ongoing relationships. Supporting and facilitating families to attend appointments and meetings may also be needed. Volunteers will have access to support and advice while delivering volunteering activities from locally based Volunteer Coordinators.

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Exclusion from School Advice & Advocacy Volunteers will provide advice and advocacy for children who are permanently excluded from school, meeting with families to advise them of their rights and provide information about the exclusion process. The meetings will be held either in the family home or local office.

When the head teacher makes the decision to permanently exclude a child from school, the governing body has to hold a “Governors’ Pupil Disciplinary Committee” meeting, to review the decision. The pupil and family are invited to attend. This meeting has to take place within 15 days of the notification to exclude.

Volunteers will need to provide information about a child’s/parent’s rights and the exclusion process, before the Governors’ Pupil Disciplinary Meeting takes place.

A Children’s Services Volunteer Coordinator will receive details of the exclusion and liaise with volunteers to set up meetings.

The Volunteer Coordinator will also provide advice, guidance and supervision to volunteers.

Mentoring Young People A range of services and interventions, including mentoring, will be offered to support young people aged 14 to 17, who are at risk of entering care. The Mentor will provide independent support and mentoring. Children’s Services believe some young people aged 14 to 17 can be diverted from becoming looked after by the local authority. Supported and supervised by a Volunteer Coordinator, volunteers will be matched with young people and offer one to one support. This is likely to include: face to face meetings, supporting them to attend meetings, appointments and activities and telephone support. A crucial aspect will be the ability to build positive relationships which allow young people to feel listened to and supported and continue as long as needed.

Face to face meetings are likely to take place in a variety of local settings to be agreed between the young person, volunteer and Volunteer Coordinator and may include, for example, schools, youth clubs and cafes.

Missing Children Return Interviews This is to contact and arrange interviews with children and young people who return from being missing within 72 hours of their return. Interviews may take place at the child’s home, foster care address, residential care setting or other agreed local venue.

When a Hampshire child or young person goes missing, Children’s Services will offer them an interview upon their return.

Guidance states this interview should be done by an independent person (not a social worker or other professional already involved with the child). Return interviews need to be completed within 72 hours of a child’s return. Return interviews are an important part of safeguarding and can help to put things in place to make sure children do not go missing in the future.

A Volunteer Coordinator who works to support local volunteers will liaise with volunteers to make arrangements for the return interview to take place.

For further information 023 80-90 2458

Find all our opportunities www.do-it.org

Email volunteer@1community.org.uk

Website Www.1community.org.uk

Registered charity number 1052978

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Eastleigh Edition