Volunteering
There are currently around 100 volunteers who work alongside our staff. Our volunteers come from a wide range of backgrounds with differing experience and qualifications. The youngest is currently 25 and the oldest is 88.
We offer initial and on-going training, regular support, and guaranteed job satisfaction from knowing you are helping people to improve their lives. Volunteers are offered all out of pocket expenses where relevant to the work. Applicants are checked by the Criminal Records Bureau.
There are many different things you could do:
- Work with Older People
- Befriend and Support a Young Woman
- Work with Young People
- Become an Advocate
- Work with Children
- Provide Administrative Support
- Organise a Fundraising Event
Work with Older People
Volunteers are needed to help run a range of services for older people. We need volunteers to:
- Visit older people at home who find it difficult to get out and about
- Assist on minibus trips, both to and from our day-centres and on outings
- Assist with computer drop in sessions
- Work in our cafes
- Assist with or run groups
Find out more about services for older people
Contact
If you are interested in volunteering to work with older people phone Nikki Goodey 01273 205214 or email: stjohnscentre@impact-initiatives.org.uk
If you are interested in volunteering at Dingemans in Steyning, please phone on 01903 879297 or email:
jane.williams@impact-initiatives.org.uk
Befriend and Support a Young Woman
Stopover need female volunteers aged 26 or over to act as befrienders to support residents to achieve their personal goals in preparation for living independently.
As a volunteer you will receive a full induction and training before being matched to a young woman, and ongoing support and supervision will be provided.
Find out more about services for young people
Contact
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer mentor phone Naomi Gosling on 01273 603775 or email: stopover@impact-initatives.org.uk
“Befriending is a process whereby two people come together with the aim of establishing and developing an informal and social relationship…the relationship is non-judgemental, mutual, purposeful and there is commitment over time. “
The role of the Befriender will be to support the befriendee to achieve goals that are linked with reducing social isolation and increasing involvement in the wider community.
Work with Young People
There are many opportunities for volunteers to get involved in our work. These are some of the things you could do:
- IT support and development
- Help young people learn about budgeting, cooking and other skills
- Running and supporting workshops
- One-to-one and basic skills support
- General jobs around the centre including office work, DIY and/or odd jobs
The YPC (Young People's Centre) offers hard to reach young people the opportunity to try new basic skills taster sessions over the Internet.
We're looking for volunteers, with patience and understanding who can help young people gain confidence using a computer. Full training will be given. So if you've got a couple of hours a week to spare and have an interest in young people, please contact us.
Find out more about services for young people
Contact
If you are interested in volunteering to work with young people in Brighton phone Rad Kothari on 01273 230130 or email: rad.kothari@impact-initiatives.org.uk.
Become an Advocate
Volunteer Advocates protect and promote the rights of people who cannot always voice their wishes independently. We call this the 'advocacy partnership'. We have vacancies for advocates to support individuals and to work alongside paid staff supporting group advocacy.
These are some of the things you could do:
- Help someone to access services
- Support a person in a meeting
- Research a person's rights or choices, for example, on the internet
- Make information more accessible (using tapes, symbols, pictures, makaton etc)
Find our more about the Advocacy service
Contact
For information about volunteer opportunities with the Advocacy service phone Rachel on 01903 730044 or email: advocacy@impact-initiatives.org.uk
Pete, a former builder who retrained as an instructor, has been a volunteer advocate for just over a year - supporting people with a learning difficulty.
“I felt very strongly about the fact that a lot of people with learning difficulties did not have anyone to represent them. I was interested in helping people with special needs express themselves and stand up for their rights. It can take a great deal of work just to help them become confident enough to say "No" when they do not like things. Most people have an understanding of what they want, they just need help to say it. Helping them to achieve their goals independently is very satisfying.“
Work with Children
Volunteers are required to help run our services for children in the Whitehawk area of Brighton.
Volunteers can support our work with 4-11 year olds at the after school club which runs 5 days a week or 8-13 year olds at the youth club which runs 2 evenings a week.
Find our more about our Children's Services
Contact
If you are interested in volunteering to work with children please phone Gary 01273 322940 or email: garry.allan@impact-initiatives.org.uk
Administrative Support
We always need help with administrative work to keep the organisation running smoothly. We need help with filing, typing, answering correspondence - a whole range of office tasks. There are opportunities to help at our various offices across West Sussex and Brighton & Hove. If you have a few hours a week to spare please contact us for more details.
Contact
Phone head office on 01273 322940 or email: info@impact-initiatives.org.uk
Organise a Fundraising Event
Why not organise a fundraising event such as a coffee morning, a jumble or car boot sale, or organise a quiz night in your local pub. We can give you lots of ideas and support to help you organise your event.
Contact
Contact Caroline Ridley on 01273 322940 or email: info@impact-initiatives.org.uk
