If you are seeking volunteers for your organisation, Volunteer
Centres – Essex can help. Volunteer Centres – Essex consists of 12 Volunteer Centres across the county. Each Volunteer Centre holds a database of volunteering roles for the local area, which are promoted though the national volunteering database www.do-it.org.uk and through local media and display boards.
By listing a volunteering opportunity with your local Volunteer Centre, your vacancies will be included in the promotion of volunteering and will be discussed with potential volunteers who get in touch with the Centre.
To register your organisation details fill out the Organisation Registration form and return to your local Volunteer Centre.
Then use the Opportunities Registration form to tell us about your volunteering vacancies.
To find details of your local Centre visit the Contact Us page of the website.
Countywide organisations
If you operate across Essex, or in more than one district, you only need to fill out the form once. Simply indicate on the form where you want the opportunity promoted and you local Volunteer Centre will ensure that your opportunities are shared with those in different districts/boroughs. Some Volunteer Centres may need to contact you to request a few more details, and some may apply a small membership charge.
Further information about Volunteer Centres
Volunteer Centres form a national network of agencies working to support volunteers and volunteering and are accredited by Volunteering England.
Volunteer Centres have six core functions:
- Brokerage.
- Marketing Volunteering.
- Good Practice Development.
- Developing Volunteering Opportunities.
- Policy Response and Campaigning.
- Strategic Development of Volunteering.
Once you register with your local Volunteer Centre or Volunteer Centres – Essex, you will be able to access a range of services offered. For example:
- Assistance with developing a volunteer policy.
- Guidance on paying expenses.
- Information about risk assessment and CRB checking.
- Local events and links with national campaigns such as
Volunteers’ Week and Make a Difference Day. - Information on affordable training
Training for Volunteers and Staff
Voluntary Sector Training is an independent charity working to support the development of a strong, effective and diverse voluntary and community sector in Essex through the provision of affordable training.
A range of courses are tailored for the voluntary sector in a selection of subjects, including:
- First Aid (appointed person).
- Safety for lone workers.
- Recruiting and retaining volunteers.
- Fire safety.
- Mental health awareness.
- Manual handling.
- Principles of fund-raising.
The majority of courses cost £70 for a full day session or £35 for a half day. However, there are concessionary rates for smaller organisations and for training in practical skills for organisations working in health and social care. Free courses are currently being offered by Voluntary Sector Training to individuals who:
- Are between the ages of 19-65.
- Are unemployed.
- Have not been in formal education in the past two years.
- Have less that five GCSEs grade C and above.
- Have been resident in the UK/EU
To find out more about any of the Voluntary Sector Training courses, visit www.voluntarysectortraining.org.uk
Useful Resources
Organisations looking for volunteers might find the following resources useful when considering their recruitment and retention practices: