Other ideas

Or check out the following:

Volunteer centres act as a volunteers' "job shop". They can tell you what voluntary work is available locally and put you in touch with local organisations. You can also discuss with them what you want to do and get advice.
Visit our volunteer centre finder to find one near to you

TimeBank
The TimeBank web site is a comprehensive web site for anyone considering giving time either in the UK or overseas.
www.timebank.org.uk

Citizens Advice Bureaux
The largest independent advice-giving network in the world, provided through a network of around 700 bureaux and 1300 outreaches nationwide. The CAB Service provides free, confidential, impartial, independent advice to everyone regardless of race, sex, disability or sexuality from over 2000 outlets in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

There are opportunities to volunteer in all Citizens Advice Bureaux as advisers (accredited training available), trustees, administrators and social policy workers. Some bureaux also have openings for volunteers in fundraising, PR and publicity, community liaison, and IT co-ordination.

Visit their website at www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ or phone the recruitment hotline on 0845 264 264

School Governors
There are approximately 350,000 governor places in England, around 1% of the adult population, forming the largest single volunteer force in the country. At any one time, across the country, around 12% of these places are vacant, with vacancy rates tending to be higher in inner city areas.

School governors are people who wish to make a positive contribution to children’s education. No special qualifications are required to become a school governor, but enthusiasm, commitment and an interest is education are important qualities to bring to the role. Governors must be aged 18 or over at the date of their election or appointment.

For more information visit:
School Governor's One Stop Shop
or www.governornet.co.uk
You can also contact the DfES School Governor Recruitment Team in Darlington by contacting Tel: 01325 391290 or email gov.recruit@dfes.gsi.gov.uk

Home-Start

Home-Start, the UK’s leading family support charity, is asking business directors to share their experience and skills, by becoming trustees for one of its 337 schemes across the UK.

In order to keep these schemes running successfully Home-Start needs trustees with experience in key areas such as business management, finance, law, personnel, IT and marketing.

Home-Start asks trustees to give just 10 hours per month. In return trustees are offered a thorough induction process and ongoing training the help them carry out their role effectively and often find they develop skills which helps them in their own businesses. www.home-start.org.uk

Age Concern cares about all older people and finds effective ways to make later life more fulfilling and enjoyable for them. Locally a network of 14,000 groups and 250,000 volunteers provides community based services such as lunch clubs, day centres and home visiting. Nationally, Age Concern campaigns on ageing issues, undertakes research, provides information and advice and offers a wide range of training. For information on you nearest group contact:
E-mail: ace@org.uk
www.ace.org.uk

Oxfam GB works with poor people in their struggle against poverty and suffering throughout the world. There is a wide variety of volunteer roles in shops, offices and campaigns groups - from administrative to project work.
E-mail: oxfam@oxfam.org.uk
www.oxfam.org.uk

Victim Support offers a comprehensive service of emotional support, practical help and information to people affected by crime, through a network of local branches in the community and Witness Services in all criminal courts. Volunteers based in the community visit victims in their own homes. Witness Service volunteers support victims, witnesses and their families attending court. Volunteers also help in other ways - for example by serving on management committees, IT, fundraising and interpreting.
E -mail: contact@victimsupport.org.uk
www.victimsupport.org

Arthritis Care works with and for people with arthritis.
www.arthritiscare.org.uk

Scope exists to enable women, men and children with cerebral palsy and associated disabilities to claim their rights, lead fulfilling and rewarding lives and play a full part in society. Volunteer roles include working in Scope shops, fundraising, campaigning and working with people.
www.scope.org.uk

Lesbian and Gay Switchboard provides an award winning 24 hour support and information service for men and lesbians. As well as offering volunteering opportunities themselves they can also provide information about volunteering within the lesbian and gay community.
E-mail: admin@llgs.org.uk
www.llgs.org.uk

Business in Community provide advice for those interested in getting their companies to make an active contribution to the community.
www.bitc.org.uk

Asthma UK works to improve the health and well being of people in the UK with asthma
www.asthma.org.uk

Volunteer Reading Help
Volunteer Reading Help (VRH) helps around 8,000 children every week to improve their literacy skills and increase their confidence. They currently have 2,600 volunteers around the country managed by Branch Organisers who are based in schools.
www.vrh.org.uk/

The Elizabeth Finn Trust
The Elizabeth Finn Trust gives financial help to British and Irish professional people and their families who have fallen on hard times. It also operates eleven Residential and Nursing Homes throughout the country. The Trust is looking for volunteers to visit new applicants and current beneficiaries living in their own homes. There is also scope for volunteers to do fundraising and befriending in the Trust’s homes.
Email: info@elizabethfinn.org.uk
www.elizabethfinntrust.org.uk

Save the Children is working around the world to give children a happy, healthy and safe childhood.

There are lots of ways to get involved like joining your local group, helping in shops, talking about Save the Children work to the public or taking part in a one-off event.

Whether you can give two days a week or just a few hours a year, Save the Children will find a role that suits you and provide the training, resources and support you need.

Contact the Volunteering Action Line on 0845 606 4027 (calls charged at local rate, answer-phone after office hours) or email volunteering@scfuk.org.uk. Or visit the website at
www.savethechildren.org.uk

Online Volunteering Service
The Online Volunteering (OV) service, managed by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, connects online volunteers with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), UN organizations and academic institutions all over the world. Online volunteers translate documents, edit and prepare proposals & press releases, research topics and gather data, create web pages, brochures and newsletters, offer professional expertise and advice, manage other online volunteers, and more.
www.onlinevolunteering.org

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a registered charity that relies on volunteers for a range of vital activities.

Volunteers help with a number of different tasks including gardening, guiding, and welcoming visitors. A new facility, Climbers and Creepers, that opens in June of this year is devoted to encouraging young children to become interested in plant and human relationships. Volunteers will help children to have fun and learn at the same time.
www.kew.org/aboutus/volunteers

The RNLI is a national charity whose purpose is to save lives at sea. Last year nearly 1500 children were involved in incidents in or around the sea, and sadly 60 lost their lives. RNLI is seeking to add to its team of education volunteers that go out into schools and youth groups to raise awareness of the work of our crews and lifeguards, and how to stay safe. Full training and support is offered. If you feel you can help educate future generations and help save lives at sea, then please contact education@rnli.org.uk or visit www.rnli.org.uk/

ActionAid is an international charity, working to alleviate poverty in developing countries, which has recently started to run 10-14 day fundraising expeditions to places across the world, from the Inca trail in Peru to the Rift Valley in Tanzania. These treks offer an adventure of lifetime and are also a fantastic way of raising awareness and crucial funds for ActionAid.

For more information, please call Alison Liney on 01460 238 047 or email actionadventures@actionaid.org.uk.
www.actionaid.org.uk

The Lions are a 'service' organisation which believes that those who live in a community are best suited to understanding and meeting the needs of that community. Lions are ordinary men and women, from all walks of life, who give a little of their time to fund-raise and give practical help whenever and wherever it is needed most. To find out more about the Lions, and how you can become a member, please visit their website at www.lions.org.uk or telephone Janet on 0121 441 4544.