Volunteer Centre Newsletter

Welcome to our Volunteer Centre newsletter.

The Big Help Out weekend will be happening again this year between 7th June and 9th June 2024. The Big Help Out brings millions of people from across the UK to join the biggest mass volunteering event of the year. The campaign empowers organisations to recruit new volunteers that will go on to support important missions that benefit our communities.

If you are an organisation in the local community, we would love to hear what you have planned for The Big Help Out. Let us know what you are planning, so that we can promote these vacancies and events on our website. Please get in touch using volunteer@communities1st.org.uk

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.

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

Trustee with Citizens Advice St Albans

Citizens Advice St Albans are looking for a volunteer to help lead their charity. They are looking for someone who can consider the big picture and someone who has good independent judgement and a varied set of skills. Ideally, if you have knowledge or a background in law, internal communications, publishing, marketing, fundraising or campaigning they would really benefit from your experience. However, if your skills are more generalist you would also be of great interest to them. You do not need experience of working or volunteering with the Citizens Advice service. The role will provide you with a great deal of experience and satisfaction, the opportunity to develop your skills and utilise your expertise and knowledge.

Flourish Refugee Group Volunteer with Hertfordshire Mind Network

Hertfordshire Mind Network provide group sessions for refugees and asylum seekers, enabling individuals to connect with others and explore common issues, concerns and share ideas. The purpose of the role is to assist the group co-ordinator with running a group that supports refugees and asylum seekers who require support with both their wellbeing and practical challenges. They are looking for volunteers who will support the running of the Flourish Group.

Retail Assistant with Isabel Hospice

Isabel Hospice are looking for retail assistants to join their team at their new shop in Bishop Stortford. Isabel Hospice is a highly respected local charity with deep roots in the community which it has served for over 40 years. Isabel Hospice provides a wide range of care and support to people with life-limiting illnesses and their families. The services are leading edge; enabling people to access the support and care they need to live well for as long as possible. Like most Hospices they rely on the income generated from their extensive fundraising activities and network of 17 charity shops and eCommerce team.

SHORT TERM ROLES & MICRO VOLUNTEERING

Health Walk Leaders for Herts Health Walks

The Countryside Management Service would like to recruit more volunteers to support existing Hertfordshire Health Walks and set up new, shorter walks for people who are not currently active or are returning to activity after an injury or illness. Join their team of more than 200 volunteers who help others become healthier and happier by walking together outdoors. No experience is necessary. You can lead walks or provide support from the back. Volunteer once a week or once a month it is up to you. Training is free and nationally accredited.

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.

LONGER TERM VOLUNTEERING ROLES

Funding - Development Coordinator with de Havilland Aircraft Museum

The de Havilland Aircraft Museum is seeking a seasoned fundraiser to join their tight-knit team. They are looking for someone with a passion to preserve and extoll the world leading aviation achievements of the de Havilland Enterprises (aircraft, engines, propellors, and rockets). You must be motivated, professional, and organised, with a knack for research and demonstrate an exceptional drive to further their existing fundraising efforts and help strategise and deliver new ones.

Befriending Volunteer with Age UK Hertfordshire.

Can you spare an hour a week to enrich a persons life? Why not become a Befriending Volunteer and help older people feel less alone. Age UK’s volunteers provide friendship and a listening ear to someone who would like some company. You will be carefully matched with an older person, providing friendship and sharing news, views and interests.

Museum Front of House with Elstree & Borehamwood Museum

Elstree and Borehamwood Museum are seeking friendly, enthusiastic and reliable volunteers to run the front of house operation at the museum. They are looking for polite volunteers who have the ability to engage with people of all ages and backgrounds. The role will require you to be responsible for guiding their visitors around their facility, answering queries in person or on the telephone, managing the sale of souvenirs and publications, recording the cash or card payments in a simple ledger. Punctual and reliable people of all ages are invited to join their friendly team.

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 an induction and training, mentor support, flexible hours, varied volunteering roles and the opportunity to learn new skills!

LET VOLUNTEERING ROLES COME TO YOU!

Communities 1st has launched Let’s Give, a 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

Chair of Trustees with Open Door

Open Door St Albans are looking for a new Chair of Trustees to lead their Board in sustaining and developing new opportunities to meet the needs of rough sleepers and those at risk of homelessness in the St Albans area. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced leader with a passion to tackle homelessness issues, and with experience in strategic decision making and developing and delivering change.

Trustee with Trinity Community Project

Trinity Community Project are looking for a committed, enthusiastic and proactive people to join the Trustees board of Trinity Community Project. You could be someone with experience of working in a social care environment, supporting people living with a disability or have a management, business, marketing or fund-raising background. Most important, you are someone who will take an interest in our work, making a difference to the lives of disadvantaged and marginalised people, as well as attending our two-monthly meetings.

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, accounting.

DRIVING ROLES

Fleet Coordinator with Barbara Bus Fund

Are you a special kind of person looking for a special kind of position? The Barbara Bus Fund is looking to recruit a volunteer to help look after its fleet of 10 wheelchair accessible vehicles based at Head Office, Stanmore. Based at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, the Fleet Coordinator will check vehicles before and after they have been used; keep the vehicles clean, keep accurate records of vehicle faults and communicate with the office. There will be the occasional need to drive the vehicles.

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

Employment Support Mentor with Communities 1st

Communities 1st are looking for employment support mentor volunteers. This role involves:

Assisting clients in face-to-face meetings supporting them to build confidence and set goals.
Helping them job search or search for volunteering opportunities.
Assisting people to put CV’s together and support with application forms.
Helping to coordinate appointments.
Managing a small caseload of people depending on availability.

Gardening Volunteer with Communities 1st

We are looking for green-fingered volunteers to help us help our community to work alongside staff undertaking various light duties in the garden including:

Mowing the lawn
Weeding
Light gardening duties
General tidy up
Digging

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.