VOLUNTEERINGVOLUNTEERING

Information & Resource Starter PackJANUARY 2010

Information & Resource Starter PackJANUARY 2010

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Index• GUIDANCE NOTES Information on using the pack• TOP 10 WEBSITES The ten best sites to help you find out more about volunteering• WHAT IS VOLUNTEERING? First thoughts on what volunteering means for you• WHY SHOULD I VOLUNTEER? Good reasons to get involved• HOW DO I GET STARTED? How to look for volunteering opportunities • WHAT CAN I EXPECT? Volunteering rights & responsibilities• VOLUNTEERING DOS & DONTS Some hints & tips on getting it right• WHO VOLUNTEERS QUIZ & ANSWERS Which celebs volunteer & who for• WHAT KIND OF VOLUNTEER ARE YOU? Still can’t make up your mind? Take this quiz.• VOLUNTEER TYPES The type of volunteering opportunities that might suit you• CELEBRITY VOLUNTEER CROSSWORD & SOLUTION Do you know about these celebrity volunteers?• ICEBREAKERS Ideas for promoting values important to volunteering• SESSION IDEAS Some quick ideas for getting your session off the ground• VOLUNTEER’S BACKPACK Volunteer’s backpack activity sheet• DISCUSSION POINTS Some ideas to kickstart discussions on volunteering• SAMPLE SPONSORSHIP FORM If you decide to start fundraising for your own volunteer project• CELEBRITY VOLUNTEER QUIZ & ANSWERS More celebs who give their time & effort for free

Top 10 Websites• Do It is the ‘volunteering made easy’ website• Volunteering England is full of volunteering opportunities• Vinspired is the website for 16-25 year olds interested in volunteering

opportunities• Direct.Gov has excellent information if you’re thinking about volunteering• VSO offers volunteering opportunities across the world• Worldwide Volunteering offers volunteering opportunities from 14+• Become part of Kent's Volunteer Your Skills campaign• Your one stop site for finding Volunteer Centres across Kent• Don’t miss VSU Kent the leading youth volunteering agency for 14-24 year olds in

Kent• If you’re interested in volunteering for one off sport, leisure and cultural activities

and events then the Kent eVent Team want to hear from you

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What is Volunteering?Volunteering is an opportunity to:• Help out• Meet new people• Develop existing skills and learn new ones• Be part of a team• Gain confidence and a real sense of achievement• Try new things that you might not have the

opportunity to do otherwise• Have fun!

You can give something back to your neighbourhood & community by volunteering on your doorstep – oryou might decide to help people in need around the world.

A good way to think of volunteering is giving your timeand energy for free to make a real difference to a community, the environment and day to day life.

based on an idea by Connexions Kent & Medway

V Variety Lots of different things to do

O Opportunity Have fun and find out about work

L Learning Develop new skills and learn about yourself

U Unpaid You won’t earn money

N Need Helping those who need your help

T Training Learn new skills

E Education Earn a certificate or accreditation

E Experience It’ll broaden your horizons

R Reward A sense of achievement

I Independence Making your own decisions

N Networking Meeting new people

G Giving Saying thank you by giving your time

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Why Should I Volunteer?People volunteer for different reasons – you might decide to volunteer because:• you might want to give something back to your local community or a particular group which helped you at a difficult time in

your life• you might feel isolated and want to meet new friends• you may be unemployed/looking for a new career/want experience to offer to prospective employers so want to learn new

skills and get some work experience• you could have experiences and skills you’d like to pass on to others.

Recent studies show that people volunteer for the following reasons:• CAREER – building your CV, developing new skills, gaining useful work experience• ESTEEM – to feel better about yourself and to feel that you’re making a worthwhile contribution• SOCIAL – to help other people who are less fortunate than yourself• VALUE – to act on your beliefs about the value of helping other people• PROTECTIVE – you might volunteer because you feel guilty that there are people who have less than you do, or because you

feel lonely• UNDERSTANDING – to find out about other people and to learn about yourself

VolunteerMatch have 20 great reasons why you should volunteer – why not add your own to the list?Wendy Saunders is a volunteer with Kent Wildlife Trust – find out more about why she volunteersVSU in Kent offer an employer recognised award – a great incentive to get involved!

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How Do I Get Started?• Find something you are really interested in and passionate about – think hard about your interests, personality & skills: for

example, you may like working directly with people so if you are volunteering in a shop make sure you are serving customers not sorting donations all day.

• Think hard about what you’re getting into: for example, you might want to volunteer to work with young children, but have you ever spent a lot of time looking after young children? Be realistic!

• Search volunteering opportunities on the websites listed in this pack (see Top 10 Websites and Additional Resources)• Talk to a youth worker or a Connexions advisor about volunteering opportunities• Contact your local volunteer centre for more advice and information about volunteering• Once you’ve found an organisation you’d like to volunteer for, arrange a visit so you can see if the reality matches your

expectations and do your research – find out as much about them as possible• Get an application form and prepare for an interview: if you need help filling out a form ask a youth worker to help you.

Then why not practice your interview skills by staging a mock interview? Some volunteering opportunities just require an informal chat, but some may require a proper interview, so be prepared!

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What Can I Expect?How much time do I need?As much or as little as you like – a lot of volunteering takes place in office hours, but you can also find opportunities that take place in the

evening and at weekends.Do I need any qualifications?You won’t need qualifications but you may need certain skills. Volunteering is a great way to build on your skills, learn new ones and even get

accredited qualifications.What will be expected of me?You’ll be expected to:

– Respect others– Not to discriminate against others– To attend any necessary training and follow guidelines– To aim to complete the commitment you’ve made as fully as possible– Be as prepared as possible: do some research into the opportunity and any policies that may affect youDo I need to do any special training?You may get some specific training, depending on what the opportunity is. What if I want to volunteer abroad?Volunteering in another country can be immensely rewarding and challenging – you may see things that upset you, you may feel homesick, you may fall ill. You’ll need to prepare physically and mentally for the challenge but what you get out of it will be an experience you’ll never forget.What are my rights?You have the right to be treated as a co-worker (not just as unpaid help), to be promoted to more challenging tasks, to have your opinion heard and to gain recognition for your achievementsCan I leave if I don’t like it?Yes, you don’t have to stay somewhere that you’re unhappy

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Volunteering Dos & Donts• DO think about why you want to volunteer. • DON'T start volunteering until you know exactly what is expected of you. • DO ask about the organisation and where you will fit in. • DON'T over-commit yourself. Reliability is vital. • DO make sure you know to whom you are responsible and to whom you can go for help and advice. • DON'T just leave the project because you are fed up, having problems, or feel you are being taken

advantage of. Discuss how you feel with the person in charge of the organisation/project first. • DO accept volunteer expenses. You can give them back as a donation to the organisation if you don't need

reimbursing. DON'T ever accept money as payment from someone you have helped in the course of volunteering. Explain to them that they can make a donation to the organisation if they wish to do so.

• DON'T carry out any job if it is against your wishes or principles. Discuss the situation with the person in charge.

• DO keep to any arrangement you have made. If you cannot keep an appointment, or you are going to be late, let the volunteer organiser, or the person you are visiting, know in plenty of time.

• DON'T betray any confidences entrusted to you as a volunteer. • DO keep in touch with The Volunteer Centre.• DO HAVE FUN!Thanks to NCVS

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Who Volunteers?Can you name these celebrity volunteers?

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Who Volunteers?TOP ROW (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT)PAM ST CLEMENT (Eastenders actress, Hearing Dogs for the Deaf)BEAR GRYLLS (TV adventurer, chief scout)MATTHEW PINSENT (Rower & TV presenter, Billion Minutes Volunteering Campaign)MISS DYNAMITE (Singer, Billion Minutes Volunteering Campaign)TRISHA GODDARD (TV Presenter, Home Start)IAN BOTHAM (Cricketer, Leukaemia Research)ALICE DELLAL (Model, Barnados)MIDDLE ROW (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT)JON SNOW (C4 Newsreader, VSO)TREVOR NELSON (DJ, v)DANIEL CRAIG (James Bond actor, RNLI) BEN FOGLE (TV presenter, RNLI)DAME KELLY HOLMES (National Osteoporosis Society)BOTTOM ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT)GORDON RAMSAY (Chef, Blood donors)DAVID BECKHAM (Footballer, UNICEF goodwill ambassador)DENISE VAN OUTEN (actress, Mothers4Children)SIR ELTON JOHN (singer, PDSA)SIMON COWELL (Music business, PDSA)BONO (Musician, ONE AIDS charity)PRINCE WILLIAM (Centrepoint Homeless Charity)

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What Kind of Volunteer Are You?Which of these statements do you agree with – tick them and then see what kind of volunteering experience is right for you!

1 I’m a doer not a talker

2 I like listening to other people

3 I’m good at things like typing and filing and tidying

4 I’d like to work with other people

5 I don’t want to sit around in meetings – I want to get out and change things

6 When I see people without enough to eat I want to do something about it

7 I enjoy helping my friends to learn new things and solve their problems

8 I love helping out with paperwork – paying bills and budgeting

9 I’d like to have the opportunity to visit people who are lonely

10 I like social, group activities best – doing things with a crowd

11 I like making and fixing things and being outdoors

12 If I see somebody crying or someone whose having a problem I want to help out

13 Give me a practical task to do with 2 or 3 of my mates and I’m happy

14 I like to make sure that things get done properly – I get annoyed when they don’t!

15 I’m persuasive and good at getting people to support things I believe in

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Volunteer TypesIf you ticked 1, 11 & 13You’re a practical volunteer who would enjoy one off events like cleaning a beach, or building a community centre, conservation

volunteering or events volunteering where you can see the job through to the end. You like to get on with it and see an immediate result.

If you ticked 2, 7 & 12You’d enjoy volunteering in advice, counselling & education. You like to support people to get a fair deal and to lend a helping

hand in a crisis.

If you ticked 3, 8 & 14You’d be happiest volunteering in an administrative capacity – you’re happiest behind the scenes, organising the running of the

organisation and making sure the job gets done properly

If you ticked 4, 9 & 10You’d enjoy volunteering in fundraising or health & social care. You like to be with people, are interested in their welfare and like

to build good, supportive relationships.

If you ticked 5, 6 & 15You’re role is as a campaigner & organiser. You like to tackle the cause of the problem and look for long term solutions.

If you’re a mixture of all these types then why not try volunteering for your local charity shop, or become a virtual volunteer?

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Celebrity Volunteer Crossword1 2

3

4

5

6 7

8 9

10

11

12 13

14

15

Across4. Surname of Matthew Pinsent's famous rowing partner Sir Steve

5. _______ Goddard has a morning show named after her on Channel 5

6. Radio station where Trevor Nelson started his career

8. Gordon Ramsay presents 'The F ____'9. What is Prince William's brother called?10. Character Pam St Clements plays in Eastenders (3,7)11. David Beckham was playing for the American team LA _______

12. How Sir Elton John referred to Princess Diana in his remake of 'Candle in the Wind' (8,4)

14. Ian Botham's nickname15. Bear Grylls is now head of this worldwide organisation for

young people (6)Down1. On which hugely successful music show is Simon Cowell a

judge? (1,6)2. Daniel Craig's first film as James Bond (6,6)3. Miss Dynamite appeared on this cookery reality show in 2009

(5,7)7. Alice Dellal and Daisy Lowe recently volunteered for this

children's charity13. At which Olympics did Dame Kelly Holmes win her gold

medals?

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Crossword solutionAcross4. Surname of Matthew Pinsent's famous rowing partner Sir Steve REDGRAVE5. _______ Goddard has a morning show named after her on Channel 5 TRISHA6. Radio station where Trevor Nelson started his career KISS8. Gordon Ramsay presents 'The F ____‘ WORD9. What is Prince William's brother called? HARRY10. Character Pam St Clements plays in Eastenders (3,7) PAT BUTCHER11. David Beckham was playing for the American team LA _______ GALAXY12. How Sir Elton John referred to Princess Diana in his remake of 'Candle in the Wind' (8,4) ENGLAND’S ROSE14. Ian Botham's nickname BEEFY15. Bear Grylls is now head of this worldwide organisation for young people (6) SCOUTSDown1. On which hugely successful music show is Simon Cowell a judge? (1,6) X FACTOR2. Daniel Craig's first film as James Bond (6,6) CASINO ROYALE3. Miss Dynamite appeared on this cookery reality show in 2009 (5,7) HELL’S KITCHEN7. Alice Dellal and Daisy Lowe recently volunteered for this children's charity BARNADOS13. At which Olympics did Dame Kelly Holmes win her gold medals? ATHENS

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IcebreakersThe purpose of all these icebreakers is to build co-operation and team spirit, so please use any team building icebreakers

SING TEAMSChoose a song that the whole group knows – a nursery rhyme is good, ‘row, row, row your boat’ or ‘London’s Burning’ – and sing in a 3 part round (first group sings the first line and continues to the end, after the first group have sung the first line the 2 nd group starts and continues to the end, then when they have sung the first line the 3 rd group start and sing to the end – you can keep this going indefinitely!). Was the team work successful? Was it fun? Did it build a good spirit in each team?

COUNT TO TENSounds quite straightforward – except there are a series of rules to follow which are:• Each person can only say one number at a time• No one can take charge of the group and direct them• If you say ‘1’ the person next to you can’t say ‘2’• If two people say the same number at the same time you have to start again at 1

HUMAN SCRABBLEDivide the group into teams and give each person a letter to hold or wear (these can be completely arbitrary or already spell a word). Now ask the teams to rearrange themselves to spell as many words as possible in a minute, with the session leader keeping score. Words must be 3+ letters.

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Session IdeasBRAINSTORMWrite the word ‘Volunteering’ on a flip chart, then invite young people to brainstorm and mind map what it means to them – try to encourage positive associations.

VOLUNTEERING PROJECT - NEEDS ASSESSMENTAsk the group to think of 3 examples of the following:• Needs of young people at your centre• Things that need to be done at your centre• Things that need to be done in your communityUsing these examples as a basis, try and develop a strong volunteering project that would benefit all 3 groups – young people, centre & community

VOLUNTEERS BACKPACKAsk the group to write down/choose pictures of the ten things they would take in their backpack if they were volunteering abroad. Compare with this list from youvolunteer: diary (to keep track of your amazing experiences), phrasebook or dictionary (to aid communication), CDs (you’ll usually find a CD player but may not find anywhere to plug in an MP3 player/computer), something from home (a good way to show people what your culture is like, especially photos), clothes to get dirty in (you’re more likely to be dressing down than dressing up!), a relevant gift (pens for a school or a football are likely to make making friends a lot easier!), a party game (something easy and fun to play with your fellow volunteers), 3 books (1 to read, 1 to lose and 1 to trade), ideas (make sure you’re prepared to get stuck in and make a difference), paper (there’s often a shortage so some thick pads will come in useful). Some of the items have been left deliberately ambiguous e.g. what kind of books would you take (phrasebook? Travel book? Fiction?)

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If you were volunteering overseas, what would be the 10 essentials you’d have in your backpack? Draw a line from the word/ picture to your backpack and then discuss your choices with everyone else!

Books MP3 player IdeasCDs

Volunteer’s Backpack

First Aid KitGames Camera

Something small from home

A gift

Laptop

Mobile

PaperPaper

Lighter

Familiar food

Water

Folding bike

Swiss Army Knife

Sewing kit

Chocolates

Old clothes

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Discussion Points• Why should people volunteer? After all, if you’re doing a job shouldn’t you get paid

for it?• What do you think about Government plans to introduce compulsory volunteering?• What skills do you have to offer as a volunteer?• Research suggests that, in areas where there is a high level of volunteering, the

community as a whole is much happier. Why do you think this is true? And how would you make this work in your own community?

• You’re considering a volunteer placement in Africa. How important is it that the project you will be volunteering with has strong policies on the environment and ethical tourism?

• What physical qualities would you need to volunteer as a lifeboat crew member? As a salesperson in a charity shop? As someone building a school in India? As a charity fundraiser? And what mental qualities would you need? Are these similar for all these volunteering opportunities? Or do different opportunities need completely different skills?

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