Volunteer Centre Newsletter

Welcome to our Volunteer Centre newsletter.

We are grateful for the ongoing support of volunteers, constituting the backbone of our communities.

We aim to support all volunteers in their activities. If you are looking for more volunteering opportunities, please look for opportunities on our website here or get in touch by emailing volunteer@communities1st.org.uk.

If your organisation requires training in volunteer recruitment and management, come along to our next volunteer management training course which will be taking place on the 20th March 2024. Recruiting, Retaining and Managing Volunteers | Communities 1st

Finally, click here to read more about the 6 Point Promise, a Hertfordshire wide scheme that aims to raise awareness of the need for good practice in volunteer management. If you would like to sign up to complete the 6 Point Promise, then please email us here.

If you have any questions or queries about volunteering, please do not hesitate to get in touch. You can email us here, or give us a call on 01727 649950.

We have split volunteering roles into the following sections: 

Spotlight
Short Term Roles and Micro Volunteering
Longer Term Volunteering Roles 
Trustee Roles 
Driving Roles

We have lots of training opportunities available here for anyone who would like to expand their skill set or try something new!

Christine Halpin

Head of Partnerships and Capacity Building

Communities 1st 

SPOTLIGHT

Family Centre Service Volunteer with InspireAll Leisure and Family Support Services

InspireAll are looking for volunteers to join their friendly team at the Family Centre Service in one of the many roles they have available. These roles include their baby groups, play sessions, gardening, admin roles and many more. They offer Induction & training, mentor support, flexible hours, varied volunteering roles and the opportunity to learn new skills!

Maintenance Volunteer with Carers in Herts

Carers in Herts are moving office in the Hertsmere area and are looking for volunteers to help with clearing out their office. The task would be filling the skip with anything which has not been taken, dismantling furniture, carrying it to / from the lift to the skip. They would like also a volunteer to whizz round with a hoover. There will be some lighter things to carry such as empty lever arch files.

Volunteers to help run iPad or Android beginners classes with Computer Friendly

Computer Friendly is looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join their team running short courses for either iPad/iPhone or Android tablet and phone beginners in St Albans and Harpenden. This is a great opportunity for someone who has some available time during the working week (typically a morning or afternoon) and would like to help people get online. If you have a reasonable working knowledge of either Apple or Android devices, and the patience to help a complete beginner, often an older person, they would love to hear from you. Whatever your level of knowledge, a willingness to learn and availability during the working day is the most important.

SHORT TERM ROLES & MICRO VOLUNTEERING

Drop In Volunteers with Open Door

Open Door needs your help to support people who are homeless and need help to rebuild their lives in the community. Open Door is only able to run smoothly because of the time and dedication of volunteers who help in many practical ways. Open Door ask for a commitment of weekly or fortnightly shift for this role. Open Door are seeking dedicated volunteers to fill vacancies on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. This role will require you to be available between the hours of 2pm-4pm. This role involves preparing and serving a light lunch to our guests. Working alongside another volunteer in the kitchen preparing sandwiches, soup or perhaps a pasta bake to serve to the guests and to clear away after the service.

Drop In Volunteers with Centre 33 St Albans

Centre 33 are looking for volunteers to assist them at their drop in centres. These centres provide an opportunity for those who are homeless, sofa-surfing, otherwise in unsecure accommodation, and those who are in accommodation but have difficulties in coping, to get a warm meal, a hot shower, some supplies and a space to meet others. Both of the spaces they need volunteers to help at are in are in St Albans. These drop in centres are run entirely by volunteers, and both day and evening sessions are managed by a team leader. This role could see you cooking and serving meals, cleaning up at the end of the session, chatting with attendees and full training will be provided. You can read more about this opportunity using the link below.

Casual Events Helper with Youth Talk

Youth Talk are looking for event helpers to help them at local fundraising events. They are looking for good communicators and people who enjoy working in a team with new people. Above all you will need enthusiasm and stamina if able to join us for longer events. Youth Talk are here to make sure young people in the St Albans District get the best possible mental health support. Their vision is that every young person can talk to someone, whatever is worrying them. By providing free, confidential counselling services delivered by qualified counsellors, they make sure everyone from 13-25 in the area can access this, whatever their background or circumstances.

LONGER TERM VOLUNTEERING ROLES

Admin Volunteer to Trustees with Mind in Mid Herts

Mind in Mid Herts are looking for an administrative volunteer to support their busy Trustee team and CEO with various admin tasks to ensure the smooth running of the charity. This role will require the volunteer to prepare Trustee meeting paperwork in advance of meetings (Agenda, invites etc). You will also be required to attend the meetings 5 times a year to take meetings.

Volunteer Mentor with MCR Pathways

Are you an empathetic and understanding person in the Broxbourne/ Cheshunt area who has a spare hour each week to make a positive difference in a young person’s life? If so, MCR Pathways is seeking enthusiastic volunteers to join their team as a mentor! MCR Pathways is an award-winning mentoring charity dedicated to addressing inequality in education outcomes, career opportunities, and life chances for care-experienced young people and those experiencing disadvantage.

Museum Co-ordinator with Potters Bar Museum

Are you an organiser? Do you enjoy local history and heritage? Join Potters Bar Museums friendly team of volunteers and be involved with a variety of interesting activities. They are looking for someone with an interest in history and museums to help with the general running of the small museum in Potters Bar. Supported by other volunteers, the Curator and a Museums Officer from Hertsmere Borough Council. You will play an important part in the running of this museum.

LET VOLUNTEERING ROLES COME TO YOU!

Communities 1st has launched Let’s Give, a new service for volunteers. You can create your own space on our website, so that organisations can find out about you and reach out to you about their volunteering roles.

You won’t need to display any personal contact information as we will do all the brokerage, so we will put you in touch with the organisations that are interested in you volunteering with them.

It’s a great way to showcase your skills and experience to local community groups, and can help match you with a role where you can make a real difference.

For more information contact us by email here or call 01727 649953.

TRUSTEE ROLES

Trustee with St Albans Old People's Trust

St Albans Old People’s Trust are looking for a Trustee to join their organisation The Trust provides very valuable and worthwhile support to those who live in poverty or have fallen on hard times, are vulnerable and not likely to have their positions much improved. It strives to give back some dignity to those individuals by assisting them to remain in their own homes and be independent as much as possible with the purchase of services and items which, for all sorts of reasons, they are unable to afford themselves. As part of the role, you will be required to review grant applications, review financials, engage in training programs and help the Trust with innovation.

Trustee With Herts Vision Loss

Thought of using some of your time, skills and talents to support a local charity? Looking for something new and a way to use your knowledge and skills to develop your community involvement? Then think about a Trusteeship role with Herts Vision Loss! They are very interested in meeting candidates who are considering utilising their skills in a charitable Trustee role, and in particular those with experience or background and skills in legal, financial or accounting.

Partnership Board member with Leecliffe Big Local

Leecliffe Big Local are looking for dedicated Partnership Board Member volunteers to join their local organisation. The Partnership Board is a resident-led partnership that manages the Big Local programme, including events and projects in their area since 2012. The partnership board appoints its officers and can appoint sub-groups to help it carry out its responsibilities. You will meet on a monthly basis with all the 9 Partnership Board Members as well as with a representative of the Local Trust, the Local Trusted Organisation’s representative, the Community Officer, the Volunteer Coordinator and Administration Assistant.

DRIVING ROLES

Volunteer Driver with Verso Care at Verso Vineyard Church

Verso Care are looking for Volunteer Drivers to help with various different duties.
These duties include driving their IVECO charity vehicle to collect donations from local supermarkets, businesses and organisations within St Albans and the surrounding area. You must hold a current full UK driver's licence and be prepared to undertake additional driving training, which will be provided free of charge by an external driver training team. Volunteer driver days available are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

Volunteer Drivers with Age Concern St Albans

Can you help Age Concern St Albans for a couple of hours on a Monday or Wednesday to drop off between 9:30am and 10:30am and then take home between 13:30pm and 14:30pm? Age Concern St Albans runs lunch clubs for older people to provide social interaction and combat loneliness. They aim to provide transport to their clients, and they rely on volunteer drivers to help get clients to the clubs. Mileage can be paid for this role.

Transport Driver for St Albans Good Neighbour Scheme

St Albans Good Neighbour Scheme are looking for volunteer drivers to help out with the service that they provide for their clients in the local community. The process is that the driver collects the client from their home at a prearranged time. The client is then driven to their appointment/destination. After the appointment is completed the client is driven home. In many cases the driver will need to help the client get to their appointment in the hospital and arrange a process where the client can advise the driver they are ready to go home.

COMMUNITIES 1ST VOLUNTEERING ROLES

Able2Enable Admin Assistant with Communities 1st

Able2enable takes a holistic approach to support individuals to develop key life skills, improve wellbeing and increase employability skills. We encourage individuals to grow within their capabilities by providing them with coaching and wellbeing support, training opportunities and supported volunteering placements. We are looking for a Volunteer Admin Assistant to support the project with tasks like following up clients to schedule appointments, emailing organisations about Able2Enable, researching volunteer and employment opportunities for clients and working with the lead on specific tasks relevant to Able2Enable.

Energy Agent with Communities 1st

The "Welcome Space Network" is a project designed to provide comprehensive support and resources to vulnerable and isolated individuals across Hertfordshire. This two-year project aims to establish a network of 30 Warm Welcome Hubs, offering a range of services including energy support, community engagement, benefits advice, and digital inclusion programmes in response to the challenges of loneliness, isolation, and energy-related hardships, particularly in relation to the cost of living crisis. We are looking for volunteers to be a friendly face and engage in conversation with those that attend the welcome spaces. Another responsibility of the role is for volunteers to provide practical advice on energy savings, safety and efficient home management. Full training will be provided.

Community Car Driver Volunteers

We are looking for volunteer drivers to help our clients in the local community. Volunteers are needed to help people in Borehamwood, Shenley and Potters Bar who are unable to use public transport, to attend health appointments and so help to reduce social isolation. What are we looking for? Driving skills, a clean licence, a roadworthy car, honesty and reliability and good timekeeping. We’re always in need of people willing to help us deliver our transport service.