Volunteering   You are here: Home » Volunteering

The variety of opportunities is endless, from gardening outdoors to offering your time to help out from home. Why not take a look at our opportunities page to see what is on offer at the moment.

Click here to view available volunteering opportunities 

This is where you can’t make a regular commitment but want to be involved in volunteering.

One-off volunteering can range from:

• Community events: walks, treasure trails, fairs, launch events, steam fairs
• Summer fetes: co-ordinator, stewards, support staff (catering, car parking)
• Easter, Halloween, Fireworks
• Christmas: wrapping presents, gift collection, serving Christmas dinner
• Fundraising events
• Administration support for one off events

If one-off volunteering is for you, please register your interest so we can contact you immediately when one off volunteering opportunities are registered with us. 

Complete our online form to register your interest

Click here to view available one-off opportunities

What is Microvolunteering?

Complete ‘bite-sized’ volunteering actions that are most completed on demand in under 2 hours.

What sort of things can you microvolunteer in?

Anything from an activity which takes 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour or even 2 hours. Some examples are provided below:

• Newspaper reading
• Write letters
• Tag photos for the blind
• Translate documents
• Proof reading
• Provide advice/support with IT issues
• Complete surveys
• Play games for research
• Web research

When to Microvolunteer?

There are many different occasions when you can microvolunteer in you day to day life, listed below are some examples when you might have time:

At Home

• Adverts whilst watching TV
• Sat in your garden
• Looking after your children
• Relaxing in bed

Travelling

• As a passenger in a car journey
• Sat in a terminal building waiting to board a plane
• On a bus or train journey

Leisure activities/holidays

• On a sun lounger
• In a restaurant
• Work breaks
• Intervals from sporting events

Microvolunteering Day takes place on the 15^th April every year, further information can be found here 

For further information about microvolunteering, please visit www.helpfromhome.org.

Click here to view available microvolunteering opportunities 

Beneficiary volunteering is when someone who has been using an organisation's services becomes a volunteer themself. They volunteer to share their experiences and support other service users within the organisation.

The Hope Centre actively encourages their service users to volunteer - read their story here

Roger Pratten our Car Scheme volunteer started volunteering his time as a driver after he used the service himself following a kidney and heart transplant - read his story here

Local projects are available to enable employers to engage in volunteering opportunities in the community. This may form part of your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy. Some of the projects available include: 

• Decorating

• DIY and general maintenance

• Gardening activities

• Preparing and serving food

• Fundraising activities

If you have a particular community area you would like to complete an employer supported volunteering activity, then please let Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire and we can liaise with local Community and Voluntary Sector Groups to arrange this for you.

Benefits of employer supported volunteering

A successfully managed employer supported volunteering programme can be a fulfilling experience for everyone: this includes employees, employers and the Community and Voluntary Sector Groups.  Participating employees can gain new skills and experiences which can often be applicable to their role in the business they work for.

For example, the potential benefits include:

• developing future leaders
• building strong teams and teamwork
• employee skills development
• improvement in staff attraction and retention
• increased staff morale and reduced sick leave
• improving reputation and brand management
• effective investment in the community

Employer Supported Volunteering Brokerage

Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire supports employers to match them with local Community and Voluntary Sector Groups to ensure the needs of all parties are met for a volunteering activity.

In order to provide this effective service, Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire charges an employer £30 per employee for each volunteering session that has been organised through us.

Employers signed up through this service will received the following  benefits:

• Response to initial volunteering requests within 5 working days
• Regular communication email updates about new volunteering community projects.
• Dialogue with the appropriate Voluntary and Community Sector Group to agree the volunteering activity before being passed onto the employer.
• Promotion via social media and our website about the employer and the volunteering activity which has taken place
• An evaluation with the employer on the volunteering activity which has taken place to enhance future activity needs.

To make an enquiry about employer supported volunteering brokerage through Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire please complete the form below and send back to Sarah Passam.

Download the enquiry form here

There are over 180,000 charities in England and Wales involved in wide ranging activities for the benefit of the public. Like all organisations, charities need a governing body or board to direct its strategy and activities and this is where the role of trustee fits in.

Trustees may be known as directors, board members, governors or committee members of a charity. They are responsible for directing the activities of the charity, ensuring it remains solvent and well-managed and delivering the outcomes for which the charity was set up.

Some of the main responsibilities of a trustee are:

• Set and maintain vision, mission and values
• Develop strategy and monitor implementation
• Establish and monitor policies
• Set up employment procedures (include volunteers)
• Ensure accountability and compliance with the law
• Maintain proper fiscal oversight
• Select, manage and support the chief executive
• Promote the organisation

Is the Treasurer role for you?

A key role in the effective governance of most charities is that of the Treasurer as an ‘office-holder’ among the charity trustees. Other Trustees look to the Treasurer to advise, guide and reassure them on all aspects of the charity’s financial management and reporting (internal and external), control systems, solvency, risk management and investments.

The Treasurer’s role is an important one which is vital to the well being of any charity. It is also a very rewarding role which needs to be widely recognised and acknowledged.

Why do people become trustees/treasurers?

This should be a rewarding and enjoyable experience. It is a great way to be involved in a community or cause which matters to you. Trustees and Treasurers come from all walks of life and it can help you meet new people, change your community for the better, learn new skills or use your existing skills in a new context.

It is a great way to enhance your CV, have experience of strategy and management or find out more about the not-for-profit sector before making a career change.

Being a trustee puts you at the centre of the action for the organisation you are involved in. The more effective the board of trustees, the greater difference you and your organisation will make.

Who can be a charity trustee?

The Charity Commission provides guidance on who can be a trustee.

What skills do I need?

Some individual trustees will have specific professional or business skills. Others will bring 'soft' skills such as facilitating, team work, problem solving, or even building the social side of being on a board. Different experiences and perspectives are important and a board that also reflects the people and communities they service will help improve effectiveness.

So an effective board will need a range of skills, attributes and personal experience to enable it to work towards the aims and objectives of the voluntary organisation.

How much time will it take?

The time commitment will vary from one organisation to another and understanding the likely commitment will probably be part of the discussion you have when exploring a possible trusteeship.

What are my legal responsibilities as a trustee?

Being a trustee carries legal responsibilities which should be understood before taking up a position.
It is worth taking some time to understand these duties and to find out the specific situation at the organisation you are considering joining. If a charity is also a company limited by guarantee then the liabilities of a trustee, for example, are different.

Further information can be found from The Charity Commission website: Trustee Duties at a Glance.

Interested in volunteering?

Many charities need more trustees. If you are interested in becoming a trustee, it is very important that you find a charity which inspires you but also one which has a board who you feel you can work with.

• Download our fact sheet on volunteering as a Treasurer or Trustee

• Click to view current local trustee/treasurer volunteering opportunities

There are lots of reasons why people choose to volunteer.  These include:

• to help your local community and give something back
• to meet people and make new friends
• to get out of the house and experience a new environment
• to gain experience to help get work and be able to put on a CV
• to put a structure or routine into their week and prevent boredom
• to help people going through something they have experienced so they can share their own experiences
• to feel that they are doing something worthwhile
• to get training and develop new skills
• to get a reference.

Your reasons may be different; they may be a combination of these, and may change over time.  It’s useful to recognise what your motivation for volunteering is, as this will help you to find the right opportunity.

What are the benefits of volunteering?

 Support with finding employment

Volunteering enables you to include your volunteering role on your CV to enhance this further, and gives you contacts to use as a reference. This will show you have been trying to do a regular activity and gain experience whilst looking for work which will be looked at favourably by prospective employers.

Your own wellbeing

Volunteering builds confidence and self-esteem. It gives a sense of achievement and self-worth that you’ve completed something meaningful.  It also gives you the chance to spend time away from your busy lifestyle.

Socially

You can meet new people and develop new friendships in environments you may not have been involved with before, through volunteering.  Being part of a team and socialising with new friends in your local community which you will get to know better can bring its own benefits.

Learning new skills and knowledge

Volunteering can help you develop new skills and knowledge in a different area to your current experience. This can assist you with developing a new career or finding out what it is that you would like to do.

Using your own skills to benefit others

You can share skills and knowledge gained from your own life experience with others, and gain fulfilment by seeing individuals or voluntary and community organisations develop further.

Benefits to local Voluntary and Community Sector organisations/groups

It’s rewarding to see the support you have given to an organisation make an impact on the lives of their clients, some of whom may be vulnerable.  Seeing how your time and commitment has enabled a vital service to be provided can give a real sense of achievement.

Remember, when you volunteer, it should be a happy and rewarding time.