Volunteer
Centre Croydon
(formerly known as Croydon Volunteer
Bureau)
Volunteer Centre Croydon promotes volunteering in the community, advises over 1500 people each year and refers them to voluntary and statutory organisations.
The Centre also:
- Takes up issues on behalf of volunteers
- Offers advice on good practice in involving volunteers
- Facilitates a quarterly Volunteer Organisers' Forum where those involving volunteers can meet to share information and ideas and raise issues of common concern
- Promotes volunteering to disadvantaged and socially excluded people, including people with mental health needs, and helps place them with organisations, offering extra support where needed
- Helps organisations attain minimum standard of good practice when involving volunteers through its Good Practice Workers
- Promotes sustained volunteering to young people aged 16-24 via a joint project with Croydon Youth Service, Millennium Volunteers.
The Volunteer Centre networks with other organisations and Volunteer Centres in initiating new policies and projects, and discussing common problems.
want to volunteer?
Search through over 800,000 opportunities to volunteer and apply online.
Investing in Volunteers in the Wandle Valley
This was a partnership involving Volunteer Centres Croydon, Merton, Sutton, and Wandsworth in a 3-year pilot. It offers a framework for reviewing the practices, policies, and procedures for involving and retaining volunteers. 27 organisations in Croydon enrolled and worked through the programme with the help of the VB's Investing in Volunteers Development Officer.
An independent evaluation of the programme gave positive feedback. The UK Volunteering Forum has taken over responsibility for rolling out the programme nationally.
The Good Practice Project
- How can you recruit volunteers speedily & effectively?
- What is the difference between employees and volunteers?
- What are your legal obligations to Volunteers?
- What are the best ways to retain Volunteers?
With funding from Bridge House Trust and Capital Volunteering The Good Practice Project workers are able to support your organisation in all aspects of volunteer management. We can visit you and provide Health Checks, which review all policies and procedures, including recruitment of volunteers. We also provide in-depth consultancy advice and telephone advice and have an extensive electronic library of resources to assist with all of your volunteer management needs.
Good practice is not just about putting systems in place, it is about working with people in a variety of interesting and innovative ways and making your workload easier, by enabling you to recruit, develop and retain your volunteers.
Please call Jan or Su on 020 8684 2727 or email jan.gibson@cvalive.org.uk or su.assinen@cvalive.org.uk
Volunteer Organisers' Forum
The Forum brings together local organisations who involve volunteers to discuss problems, and share information and ideas, on a quarterly basis. Speakers are often invited to speak on specific topical issues and forum topics are member led. This is a great opportunity to meet other volunteer managers and get all the latest volunteering information. The Forums are held from 12.30-2 at CVA, with lunch and informal networking available from 12 noon. See our Diary page for the dates of the next Forum meetings.
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VOLUNTEER
ORGANISER'S FORUM ‘Recruiting Volunteers from Local Business’
Plus: Recruitment & Retention of Volunteers Tuesday 12th February 2008 CVA, 97 High Street, To book your place call: Email: jan.gibson@cvalive.org.uk
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Millennium Volunteers
Volunteer Centre Croydon, in conjunction with Croydon Youth Service, is running a Millennium Volunteers Programme. The aim is to encourage young people aged 16-24 to volunteer over a sustained period; they will get an award after 200 hours. Two workers promote the scheme, identify voluntary placements, and negotiate Volunteer Plans with young people and support them through their voluntary work.
Over 550 young people have registered, and over 200 have completed 200 hours. Award ceremonies are held twice a year. Volunteers do a wide range of activities, from football coaching, supporting stammering sufferers, running a youth dance group, shop work and a youth-led graffiti art project.
Contact Nadine or Lisa on 020 8771 8687.
For general enquiries contact Karen Chillman, Manager or administrators Joy Henry and Jacqui Wright on 020 8684 2727 or e-mail volunteer@cvalive.org.uk
Volunteer Centre Croydon has a choice of well over four hundred different voluntary work opportunities with a wide variety of different groups. We can help point you in the right direction, according to your own circumstances and interests.
Some examples of voluntary work opportunities:
Working
with:
The Elderly
Homeless People
Young Children
People with Disabilities
People with HIV/Aids
People with Learning Disabilities
People with Mental Health Needs
Asian & African-Caribbean Groups
Lesbian & Gay Groups
Young People
Women Ex-Offenders
Types
of voluntary work:
Befriending
Driving & Escorting
Advice & Counselling
Mentoring
Teaching
Using Languages
Administration & Clerical
Conservation & Gardening
Campaigning, Media & Publicity
Sports
Health and Hospitals
Residential & Holiday
Arts & Crafts
Management Committees
& much more...
Who Can Do Voluntary Work?
Anyone should be able to contribute something. With the information and contacts we have, we should be able to put you in contact with a project that suits you regardless of your experience or how little time you have available. Two hours a month or three days a week - we have something for you! The Volunteer Centre welcomes enquiries from all people, irrespective of race, colour, nationality, religion, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, age, disability or criminal record.
If you are housebound or unable to travel to one of our offices, we may be able to visit you at home, or advise you over the phone.
What's In It For You?
Ask most volunteers why they do it, and they will reply: "Because I enjoy it!" Voluntary work is not paid, but you should not be out of pocket either. Travel and other reasonable expenses are normally paid (if a particular organisation does not pay we will be able to advise you of this), and there are plenty of other benefits:
- Make new friends
- Gain new skills or develop old ones
- Obtain experience useful in job searching
- Face new challenges and stimulation
- Help to change things
- Get involved in your community
- Have fun!
Training is often provided free of charge, and adequate induction and support should be given.
If you are unemployed or on Incapacity Benefit your benefit should not be affected - we can advise further on this. Volunteers should be covered by insurance and health and safety regulations.
How Can We Help?
The Volunteer Centre is under no pressure to recruit volunteers for any one project, so we can give you frank, independent advice on the opportunities available. You can either come and browse through our opportunity files yourself, or make an appointment with one of our advisers for an informal chat to help you choose the kind of opportunity that best suits you.
We can make an introduction for you, or you can take information away and make up your mind later. Alternatively we can advise over the phone or e-mail, or send you opportunities through the post. The choice is yours! We can also advise you of your rights as a volunteer, and anyone is free to come back for further advice at any time.
If one opportunity does not suit you, there are plenty more that may!
Interested In Finding Out More?
Appointments are available at our main office in Thornton Heath, day or evening or at Purley (Friday only). Or come in to browse - but let us know first so we can ensure someone is on hand to help.
View our opportunities on Do-it.org.uk, the national volunteering site.
All
enquiries to:
Volunteer Centre Croydon
2a Garnet Road
Thornton Heath
Surrey
CR7 8RD
Tel: 020 8684 2727
Fax: 020 8665 1334
Email: mailto: volunteer@cvalive.org.uk