Join us at our Camden and Islington January 2021 Volunteering Fair when we are once again joining forces with our good friends @ Volunteer Centre Islington on Thursday 28th January, 12.30-2pm online via ZOOM. (Please note that you will need to register for this event to receive the Zoom meeting details.)
Did you know that volunteering is good for you? Studies show that volunteering can improve and maintain your mental and physical health, and well as helping with the effects of stress, anxiety and low self esteem. And the social contact of helping and working with others can have a profound effect on your overall psychological wellbeing. Good times.
Want to volunteer? This time we are asking that you book your free place on Eventbrite and then we will send you the Zoom details by email closer to the date of the event.
We look forward to seeing you there!
PLEASE NOTE: Are you a non-profit that wants to recruit volunteers in Camden or Islington at the fair, then get in touch with Sheila @ Volunteer Centre Camden.
IMPORTANT! To get the best experience from this volunteering fair you will need to have installed the latest version of Zoom (either the app or the web client). In other words, to self select the Breakout Rooms you will need Zoom 5.3.0 or later. Why not update now? Check out this link for instructions: http://bit.ly/updatezoom20
List of organisations confirmed to attend:
- Camden Community Champions (Kilburn, Kentish Town and Fitzrovia)
- Laamiga: Women’s Mentoring and Training
- The Kids Network
- Camden Disability Association
- Time to Spare (representing a number of local coronavirus volunteering roles including at GP surgeries, vaccination centres, food banks and more)
- Manor Gardens Welfare Trust
- Centre 404
- Help on Your Doorstep
- SFT Foundation
- Camden & Islington COVID-19 Health Champions
- Training Link
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.
- Camden Community Champions (Kilburn, Kentish Town and Fitzrovia)
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. Laamiga: Women’s Mentoring and Training
Laamiga Volunteer Female Mentors
Are you a woman who would like to help another woman take steps to find her dream job?
At Laamiga we provide support to migrant and refugee women who want to find employment with the aim of starting them on their road to achieve financial independence.
We are looking for women who have experience of paid/unpaid work, to share their own experience and provide support and guidance to another woman.
You will be helping a woman to develop her self-confidence and resilience, and help her learn to help herself when she is undergoing changes in her life, making decisions and choosing her pathway.
You will have online meetings, one hour every two weeks, for 6 – 12 months. In between the meetings, you could provide support to the mentee by phone calls, texts and emails.
A full training programme in mentoring will be provided. Also one-to-one supervision is provided initially once a month or when it is needed.
This is a very rewarding role and also a great opportunity to improve your skills in communication, coaching, goal setting and problem solving.
For a mentor application form please use the link
Become a Mentor | Women’s Training and Mentoring – Laamiga
Check our website: www.laamiga.org
For more information please contact Emua: info@laamiga.org
3. The Kids Network
The Kids Network support children aged 8-11 through one-to-one mentoring. At a crucial age in a child’s development, mentors help with their social and emotional development during the transitional period between primary and secondary school. Mentors help build confidence, resilience and curiosity for ambitious futures through a series of fun and positive activities and experiences, opening London in accessible and interesting ways.
We are recruiting for Mentors to spend 1-3 hours per week over the course of a year with a mentee aged between 8-11 years old. The children have been referred to us through their school, and may be facing extra hurdles that can impact their mental wellbeing, but also have extra responsibilities such as being a young carer, be in overcrowded accommodation or experiencing a family breakdown. Children right now are stressed, anxious, and facing uncertainty like never before. Children are also feeling disconnected from the community around them or lack relatable, yet inspirational role models.
Whether it is a kick about in the park, exploring the local area, craft sessions in a cafe, museum exploring, bouldering, swimming, our model focuses on the individual needs of the child, providing them with a voice. Together mentors and mentees set goals, break barriers and build aspirations for a bright and curious futures. In the past year, 97% of our mentees reported an increased confidence since taking part in the mentoring, and 93% reported an increased wellbeing.
Mentors have also noticed their resilience and listening skills have improved at the end of their year of mentoring. They have enjoyed connecting with a child in their local community, and enjoyed the chance to be a child themselves, see London through a child’s eyes and loose their professional self! Not only this, but mentoring has alleviated the loneliness of both children and the volunteers, especially over the last year.
Finally, we help volunteers connect through our Mentor Network, with monthly (virtual) meet ups, where mentors learn new skills, share experiences and get advice from one another.
4. Camden Disability Association
Camden Disability Action is CDA is a cutting-edge membership disabled people’s organisation with a mission to change society and promote the equality, inclusion, choice, and independence of disabled people in Camden. Our projects help disabled people to grow their skills and confidence. We support disabled people to get involved in community activity.
Who We are Looking For
We are looking for people to join us as volunteer Digital Coaches, to help more disabled people to get the knowledge and confidence to use online services, using their smartphones, tablets or other devices. This means you would work one to one with a disabled person, finding out the sorts of online things they might like to do and helping them to get started on doing them – from shopping to job hunting to gaming to zooming their grandchildren. You can help either by coaching over the phone or by socially distanced coaching at our IT hub in the Greenwood Centre in Kentish Town
Being online is more important in our lives than ever – by sharing what you know about using online services you can help unlock a world of online opportunity for someone.
Why Volunteer With Us?
Volunteers will get training on how to coach people. This is a skill you can use in other settings. You will also get the opportunity to do other training. You will be able to explore the range of assistive technology we have at the Greenwood Centre. You’ll become part of a friendly and passionate team making a difference in Camden.
You don’t have to be a disabled person to be a coach – but if you are, this is an asset – your knowledge and experience will be very valuable to other disabled people.
5. Time to Spare (representing a number of local coronavirus volunteering roles including at GP surgeries, vaccination centres, food banks and more)
Time to Spare is a software company that has been working with the voluntary sector and the Council in Camden and elsewhere for just over 2 years. We are currently supporting Volunteer Centre Camden and Camden Council to run the Camden Volunteer brokerage, particularly in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic.
6. Manor Gardens Welfare Trust
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.
7. Centre 404
The benefits of Peer Volunteering at Centre 404 are as follows:
1. Peer Volunteering as Progression to Career in Supporting Families team;
2. Skills Training in Communication, Presentation, Computer skills as required;
3. Centre404 reference provided after 6 months Volunteering;
4. Interpersonal skills training and skills;
5. Access to disability related information and support as needed;
6. Security checks are conducted (DBS and reference checks) as part of the volunteering process at no cost to the volunteer;
7. Diversity and Multidisciplinary staff and volunteers;
8. Access to Special Expertise with over 60 years of experiences supporting disability and families in North London;
9. Access to movement and campaign together with Alliances made with organisations, specialty on Disability, Carer, Women and community centres in the UK;
10. An invaluable opportunity to share experiences and emotional support to fellow families with disability.
11. Learn Fun safe activities available to participate through In house (Learning Leisure) and external online activities.
8. Help on Your Doorstep
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.
- 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.
9. SFT Foundation
SFT Foundation Trust is a registered not-for-profit organization situated at 225 – 229 Seven Sisters Road, London N4 2DA. The organization is aimed at engaging, inspiring and empowering disadvantaged women as well as mentor your people, particularly those from BAME communities, through practical and emotional support.
SFT Foundation is now calling for Volunteer Mentors as well as Community Champions who will help in delivering her youth mental health and family wellbeing projects. Our key phrase on the mentorship project is: “It takes a village to raise a child”
Volunteers taking up the role of Mentor’s (otherwise known as Community Parents) will:
- have the opportunity to act as role model as they mentor BAME young people age 12- 24 in urgent need of support in the midst of issues challenging their mental health / wellbeing. Such issues may be as a result of their vulnerability to gun/knife crime etc or those arising from the disproportionate effect of COVID-19 within their community.
- positively turn the tide of COVID-19 by selflessly using some of their time in remotely mentoring BAME young people as a contribution towards making their life’s better.
- have a sense of fulfilment as they clearly demonstrate that they are part of the change needed in positively impacting the lives of vulnerable young people from BAME communities.
- access online induction and training needed in achieving the role thus enhancing their CV.
At the end, our volunteer mentors have a sense of achievement as they have selflessly impacted the life of BAME young persons, enabling them to reach their potential.
On the other hand, Volunteers taking up the role of Community Champions needed in simply raising awareness about our projects and signposting beneficiaries (either individuals or groups) to them will:
- have a sense of achievement being the roadmap/ access through which people who would otherwise be denied were able to access the much needed support our project provides.
- credit themselves for breaking isolation in such challenging times we are in as they reach out with information about our projects to people in need.
- be acknowledged as change makers and those who enabled challenged people to engage with community as they are connected to our projects and the various mental health/wellbeing benefits offered.
10. Camden & Islington COVID-19 Health Champions
Details coming soon!
11. 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.
Keep checking back for updates!
