Camden & Islington Online Volunteering Fair

Keep reading for more details of the organisations listed above and the roles they are recruiting for. Keep in mind that organisations may be able to use skills that you would like to share with them which don’t fit into these defined roles. As always they will try to be as flexible as possible. 

1. Kilburn Community Champions

Camden Community Champions has launched! Teams are working in Kilburn, Kentish Town and Regents Park to recruit and engage local residents in creating events and activities that will promote Health & Wellbeing. 

The project is looking for organisations who may be interested in working alongside us to support volunteers and deliver training, events, and activities on the following target estates: 

• Kilburn Vale
• Kingsgate
• Sidings
• Webheath  

Due to the current Covid issue, much of our work will be taking place online, including our first piece of research. 

Express an interest with volunteering as a Community Champion on our website here.

2. Eye Heroes

a. What do we do? Eye heroes is the UK’s first child-led campaign to fight avoidable blindness. 

b. What is the role we are recruiting for? Communications Volunteer – We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers who can help us build our presence online through developing our supporter base, creating engaging social media posts, helping write the newsletter, and generally sharing the message about our important work.

c. What is our impact? Each child who attends a workshop will inform, on average, 8 adults and of these, 4 will go for a sight test. This proven method can transcend barriers like language and socio-economic status that can often isolate hard to reach groups. We know that this project is making a difference and with help from communications volunteers, we will be better able to share our impact with others

You can apply for the Eye Heroes Communications Volunteer role on our website here.

3. The British Museum
a. What is the name of your organisation and its mission (why does it exist, what does it aim to do)

The British Museum houses eight million objects from different cultures from all over the world, encompassing two million years of human history and culture. The best way to find out more is by visiting our website – https://www.britishmuseum.org/ .

b. What is the title of the volunteering role(s) that you are recruiting for and a brief description of that role(s)

Volunteers at the British Museum are involved with a wide range of activities, from Front of House activities such as tour guides to Behind the scenes work in our departments. At the moment, due to covid, we are unsure when volunteering will resume on site, or what our exact recruitment needs will be. We are hoping to develop a mailing list of people interested in volunteering, who we can then contact as and when opportunities open up.

c. Why someone would want to volunteer with you? What difference will be made to them, to your organisation and / or the local community. Are there any other benefits to them (such as personal development, alleviating loneliness, something to put on their CV etc

We would hope that there are many reasons someone would want to volunteer at the British Museum- and we love the fact that our volunteers have many different motivations for being part of the team. As one of our volunteers you will get to:

• Meet people from around the world
• Learn about world cultures
• Make new friends
• Share your passion and enthusiasm
• Learn new skills
• Become part of a supportive team and community
• Access to exclusive events and training for volunteers
• Enjoy the Museum and its collection

To express an interest in with volunteering at The British Museum send them an email stating ‘Camden and Islington volunteers’ fair’ in the subject line and they will in touch in the near future with next steps. Timelines are shifting at the moment with Covid-19 so please be patient if you do not hear from them immediately. Thanks very much!

4. University College London Hospital (UCLH)
a. What is the name of your organisation and its mission (why does it exist, what does it aim to do) – At UCLH we embody our trust values of Safety, Kindness, Teamwork and Improving in everything we do. We are committed to delivering top-quality patient care. Volunteers are a very important part of the UCLH team and help us deliver a high quality patient experience and increase our capacity. Volunteers are involved in defined non-clinical roles which add value to the patient experience or give capacity to local teams

b. What is the title of the volunteering role(s) that you are recruiting for and a brief description of that role(s) – Volunteer Rapid Response Volunteers enable us to respond to need within the hospital whether it is a request from the wards to pick up medication from the pharmacy so a patient can be discharged, or a need to give extra support to a patient with dementia who needs to attend several appointments in different departments. Volunteers provide mealtime support on the wards, and helping with our Discharge Team.

c. Why someone would want to volunteer with you? What difference will be made to them, to your organisation and / or the local community. Are there any other benefits to them (such as personal development, alleviating loneliness, something to put on their CV etc)? – This role allows volunteers to provide crucial support and customer service to some of the most vulnerable people. This role offers a great opportunity to make an impact to wards and their patients in line with their changing needs. Volunteers will gain experience and insight into working within the healthcare sector, including an excellent opportunity for those considering a career in health services or in customer service support roles. References on request, after 6 months and Out of pocket expenses are covered in line with our policy (currently travel is covered to the value of £8.90 for travel expenses and £4.50 for meal expenses per day)

Express your interest in applying as a UCLH Rapid Response Volunteer on our website here.

5. Training Link

Training Link is a charitable organisation that provides free educational course for adults in the local Somers Town community. We have English courses, computers, vocational online courses, a Literacy Project, and internet drop in sessions. 

Our aim is help people, many of whom are from difficult backgrounds, re engage in education to help them improve life chances in finding work  and  an overall  better life. We aim to provide a friendly, supportive environment.

During the current lockdown, we are closed,but hope to resume our activities as soon as possible.

We will be looking for volunteers to provide 1 to 1 English lessons for up to two hours a week on our Adult Literacy Project either face to face or online.  Volunteering for the project could really make a difference in terms of  improving someone’s confidence and ability in speaking English and could really help somebody.

To express an interest in volunteering with Training Link, please contact Chris by email.

6. South Hampstead and Kilburn Partnership (SHAK)

South Hampstead & Kilburn Partnership (SHAK) is a community led charity based in on the Alexandra and Ainsworth estate in the Kilburn NW8.  

Our Mission is to work with local young people and adults to improve well-being, inclusion and life chances by nurturing talents, passions, skills and confidence. Our Vision is of a place where everyone can live, learn and grow together.  

We aim to build the capacity of local estates, neighbourhoods and individuals, to work together with local providers and commissioners so that services are better designed to meet local health and social care needs.  

SHAK is also home to the Kilburn Community Champions, one of 3 Boroughwide projects delivered by the Public Health Service, in partnership with the local authority, voluntary sector organisations, residents and Volunteers 

You can volunteer as little or as much time as you can, make use of your networks to connect friends, families and neighbours with local services, and spread important messages about health and wellbeing. The time and energy that you put in is really appreciated and repaid through access to training, support and guidance to help you to progress your own careers and goals.  

Through engaging and investing in people to build and strengthen good health and wellbeing for their communities, we would like to use local people’s knowledge by giving them opportunities to co-produce services and implementing effective and sustainable community-led approaches, particularly in areas of greatest need. Working in partnerships with local organisations and agencies we can provide volunteering and potentially future employment opportunities.  

Our Volunteers will gain increased knowledge & skills and help to build the capacity of local people.  

When you first join the programme, we will work with you to identify your individual training needs and aspirations to help you in your role and to further develop your skills for the future. You will receive a high-quality training programme, including accredited courses. Our work is fun and rewarding and you will get to know lots of people in your neighbourhood, and across the Borough.  

7. Islington Mutual Aid Groups

Mutual Aid Islington is rather different from the other organisations here today. We are twelve local organisations set up to provide mutual support in our communities, spurred by how much it is needed in the pandemic. We coordinate across the borough but run ourselves, on the basis of solidarity not charity. We organise to support people across our community with regular errands, such as collecting shopping on a one off or ongoing basis, as well as regular check-ins to stem loneliness and isolation. Most groups also deliver food to people who are housebound from local food projects – we are often short of drivers. Some do dog walking, mask making or organising social activities online. Whatever time you can offer would be very welcome. People who are not mobile themselves can provide companionship to others on the phone or online or get involved in co-ordinating tasks, such as mask making or matching people. Its easier to join your local Mutual Aid  group, though some activities may be more available in others and sometimes we coordinate activities across the borough. We can connect you with others, if you have a specific activity you would like to offer support with.

See the information and contacts for the Islington COVID-19 Mutual Aid ward groups below.

Use this map to work out which ward you belong to. Islington-wide website: https://islington.coronacorps.com

8. Manor Gardens Centre

Manor Gardens is a multicultural health and social care charity based in the heart of the community in North Islington, London. We:

* work with the most deprived and vulnerable people in Islington to improve their physical and mental wellbeing.
* rehabilitate people who’ve had a stroke in our stroke club
* match volunteers to isolated older people in our Friendship Network
* support newly arrived communities to access health care
* run a Preschool.
* train local residents to cook and eat healthy meals and adopt healthier lifestyles.

Due to COVID-19 situation Manor Gardens has adapted to work in different ways and most importantly turned into a food to deliver groceries for vulnerable people around the borough reaching a successful number of 2800+ packages delivered to people during the lockdown, we keep on working this way to support families, elderlies, vulnerable children, or anyone whose health and wellbeing might be at risk as we will step in to make a better future for those who suffer.

• Befriending Volunteer COVID19
  They are looking for volunteers to befriend people over the phone in Islington who are in social isolation due to COVID19. Register your interest here.
• Community Interpreter Volunteer COVID19
  They are looking for community interpreters to provide interpreting for members of the community who require support in accessing local services to improve their health and well-being. Register your interest here.
• Early Parenthood Programme Volunteer
  Are you a parent who wants to support other parents or parents to be? Not a parent, but with an interest or experience in perinatal mental health? Can you spare two or three hours a week for a minimum of six months? They are looking for volunteers to help them with support groups for parents to be and new parents, as well as supporting the parents on a one to one basis with specific goals. Register your interest here.
• Islington Buddy COVID19
  They are looking for local volunteers to act as Buddy’s to isolated Islington residents. The role of a buddy is to build a trusting relationship with an isolated person in your neighbourhood and to support them during and after the Covid 19. Currently, this would mean keeping in regular contact by phone. As the Covid 19 restrictions start to ease, they would like volunteers to support your matched resident to help them re-engage with society (may mean activities such as going for a walk in the park). Register your interest here.

9. Help On Your Doorstep (HOYD)

Help on Your Doorstep aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people in Islington, especially those who are vulnerable and isolated. Working with residents we seek to find solutions to the issues which make life difficult, strengthen communities to do more for themselves and enable people to improve their life chances. 

• Christmas Telephone Befriender
  So many people are facing the hardest loneliest Christmas. They would be so happy for someone to give them a call for a friendly chat between Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day. You could make a real difference to isolated people in Islington by calling a few times during Christmas week, for a friendly chat. It’s easy to do, you can do it from your home, you could even do zoom calls with some.
  If you want to do something over Christmas, this could be the role for you. Register your interest here.

• Shopping and Essential Deliveries COVID19
  Help On Your Doorstep’s Befriending Shopping Volunteers will provide assistance with buying food and essential items as well as delivery of prescriptions to people who are self-isolating alone in Islington.. This is a really vital role and will be immensely valuable to residents. Role available in different locations in Islington. Register your interest here.

• Telephone Befrienders COVID19
  Telephone Befrienders provide companionship by phone to vulnerable residents known to our service, who are living in Islington. This is a really vital role and will be immensely valuable to residents. A vulnerable person may be someone who is older and has no family around them; be living with a long term mental or physical health problem; or find themselves at an overwhelming crossroads in life, facing changes. Register your interest here.

• Volunteer Connectors COVID19
  Help on Your Doorstep’s Volunteer Connectors have will help build the confidence of clients by accompanying them on their first few trips out following lockdown and the easing of social distancing. Connecting clients with the wider community accompanying clients on walks for exercise, to shops, services and social activities as they open. Volunteers may also help in identifying new activities for clients to help reduce isolation. Register your interest here.

10. Octopus Community Network

Octopus is a network of multi-purpose community centres. Each community centre is a designated community hub and currently funded by Islington Council as a strategic neighbourhood partner. A number of the Centres have become very creative in how they have remained connected to their user groups, ensuring that activities could continue, and so that friends and neighbours were able to stay connected. Since the start of the lockdown, eight of the Centres have remained opened as community food hubs and have been working tirelessly to ensure that they are responding to the needs of the local community. Some of their staff and volunteer teams have been working every day to ensure that food is collected and distributed.

• Food sorting and delivery Covid19
  Octopus Community Network is looking for immediate volunteers to help with food sorting and packaging, and essential item delivery. This role will last for as long as they are running the food distribution service based at their network of community centres. Register your interest here.

Telephone Befrienders/ In Touch volunteers COVID19 They need volunteers supporting people who are facing social isolation by maintaining regular telephone contact – making time for a friendly chat and signposting to support services. Register your interest here.

Event Timetable

12.30-12.40 Welcomes and introductions from the hosts. Explanation of the fair and how it will work.

12.40-1pm Brief pitch for volunteers from the ten organisations

Then all ten organisations recruiting volunteers will be popped into ten different breakout rooms. Volunteers can choose to join them there. Each organisation will deliver a short presentation about the volunteering role(s), the organisation itself and the benefits of volunteering with them. This will be repeated four times (see below for timings). You can choose to attend one breakout room, four different rooms or anything in between. 

1-1.15pm Breakout room session 1

1.15-1.30pm Breakout room session 2

1.30-1.45pm Breakout session 3

1.45-2pm Breakout room session 4

2pm Event ends, every back in the main room for a very quick reminder of the next steps, and then a brief thank you and goodbye!

Before the fair we will send you the Zoom link as well as the full list of the organisations that will be attending, and a bit the roles that they are recruiting for. 

After the fair all participants will receive a follow-up email detailing how you apply for the roles and / or contact the organisations that attended the fair.

See you tomorrow!

Best wishes Sheila, Marta and Shafia

Please note: All spaces for organisations at this fair have been taken. However we will announce details of our Winter 2021 volunteering fair in the next few weeks. It will take place in late January / early February.

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