Applications - Current Volunteer Opportunities

 Digital Champions - Dagenham Community Hub

Are you Interested in helping people use the internet?  With so many people within Barking & Dagenham who struggle to use the internet or using their devices, we can support them in achieving their goals, whether it happens to be accessing Council services online, booking GP appointments, communicating with family and friends or even shopping online.

We are looking for willing and able volunteers to assist in running of sessions for our residents at the Dagenham Community Hub (Dagenham Library) and to keep them up to speed with the latest technology. Our volunteers will be able to offer the following services:

1. Gadget Drop ins – Members of the public can bring their own devices such as tablets, laptops or smartphones and ask questions about how to set them up or use them better. Available via appointment.
2. Beginners sessions - Helping people with using the internet for the first time and understand what it can offer them. These sessions can be booked on a 1:1 basis or a small group via appointment only.

We need volunteers who have:

• An interest in technology and the internet. You do not need to be an expert!
• Knowledge of both basic and additional IT such as emails, skype, using social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)
• Willingness to learn and share basic information about Cyber Security.
• Completed the Digital Champion Essentials course on the Digital Champions Network.

You must be:

• A good communicator, the ability to pass on knowledge in a way that suits the learner.
• Warm, patient, and friendly personality.
• Creative and open to new ideas and approaches.

Digital Champions will learn how to:

• Coach users on a 1:1 basis or in a small group.
• Encouraging people to learn more and signpost for further help.
• Demonstrating useful online services, apps and how problem-solving e.g looking up an answer via Google can help.

Benefits of the role:

Volunteers will have the opportunity to learn and develop their customer service and communication skills. We will provide training and support for the role via the Council’s learning portal that include:

• CPD Accreditation (Digital Champions Network Course)
• Data Protection 2023
• ICT &Cyber Security 
• Customer Promise (Customer Care)

Travel expenses:

Travel expenses will be reimbursed

Recognition:

We are happy to provide a certificate of recognition after you have volunteered with us for 3 months.

Please click here to apply.

Volunteer Role Description

Supporting residents to register with a GP practice.

This role is intended to help residents of the borough who are not registered with a GP practice to register. Pop up venues will be set up in community hubs to allow residents to enquire about how to register. Initially the pop-up locations will be at Barking Learning Centre and Dagenham Library.

Role purpose:

• To support those residents who are not currently registered with a GP practice to register.
• Provide advice on how to register with a GP practice including supporting registration if appropriate.
• To collect information on how many residents have been helped or signposted to register.

Main activities:

• To run the pop-up service at locations as defined. This will involve setting up the pop-up area, providing advice, support and guidance for patient wishing to register with a GP practice in the borough.
• To gain experience and knowledge relating to registering at a GP practice and share that knowledge with residents.
• If applicable to use a computer or tablet device to help patients to register online
• To maintain records of how many residents have been helped and provide that information when requested.
• To suggest ways of improving the service

Training:

• A comprehensive training programme will be available for volunteers to access.
• The training programme will include information packs, advice on the different ways to register patients i.e. online or using hard copy forms and information on who is eligible to register
• Support to resolve any queries not covered in the training will be available.

Please click here to apply.

Mentoring with One Million Mentors

Can you understand the challenges a young person is facing and see things from their point of view?
Can you offer advice or even just encouragement?
If so, then you have what it takes to be a mentor.

1MM mentoring empowers young people to become the best version of themselves. We build relationships - free of assumption and judgement - where people benefit from one another's experience and perspective. Mentoring helps people to think bigger, find their own answers and take the next meaningful step into their future.

We recruit, train and deploy volunteer mentors, matching them with mentees and providing high quality support to both so that they are well prepared and can have an effective and impactful mentoring relationship.

Our mentoring is one to one, for young people aged 14-25 years old, for 1 hour, once a month, for up to a year.

If you are interested, click here to sign up! ✨

What will I do?

We are looking for Mentors in Barking and Dagenham to take part in our October programme launch at Barking and Dagenham College.

We would particularly love to hear from mentors with experience and knowledge that would help them to support a young person with an interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) although being currently employed in one of these industries is not a requirement.

What skills do I develop?

• Listening - You will develop your patience and awareness for a mentee's goals and targets they want to achieve.
• Problem Solving - You well develop your reflective skills and communication with your mentee by solving any problems that your mentee may face.
• Speaking - You will become more attentive, practice on relevant and helpful conversations and how to guide a mentee.
• Teamwork - By working with your mentee in developing themselves and gaining perspective from your experience, you will work together on each other's confidence in relationship building and gaining networks.

What do I need to do?

• We welcome applications from people with at least 5 years industry experience or 2 years postgraduate experience. If you are retired or on a career break, we would also love to hear from you.
• To commit to a one to one, 1 hour a month over the academic year (October - July) for our programme at Barking and Dagenham college.
• Gain quality support and training by completing our online course. You can also attend a 2 hour mentoring workshop to connect with other mentors and receive a certificate in mentoring.
• To create goals and targets for your mentee with the help of your training. It's all mentee led!

Please click here to apply.

Independent Living Agency

Stay Well Stay Safe- Healthy Futures Project

Are you sociable? Do you enjoy helping others? Our project requires volunteers who can share their time and experience with disabled people who are trying to make healthy lifestyle changes.

Our project has three objectives:

• Increase physical activity
• Empower participants with knowledge about healthy lifestyles
• Teach participants to cook and plan healthy meals

As a volunteer, your responsibilities include:

• Being matched with a participant
• Fitness buddying - Supporting your Match to go to the gym, fitness activities or take part in sports, being an encouraging voice to help them gain confidence and remove barriers to being active.
• Cookery/learning buddying - Supporting your Match in learning how to cook healthy meals at our Cookery School
• Digital buddying/learning buddying - Supporting your Match to learn how to use the Internet and computers to access services and support their financial and digital wellbeing.
• Health/digital Mentoring - Providing more personalised support to people with more complex needs to access services online, be more active and live a healthier lifestyle.

This may seem like a lot of responsibility, but these tasks will be done by different volunteers. Depending on what your Match is interested in and where you feel your skills are more useful, you’ll be trained to provide support in a specific area rather than doing everything yourself.

For more information on the different roles for volunteers, scan the QR code or follow the link below to view our Volunteer Handbook:

What support and benefits can I expect as a Volunteer with the Stay Well Stay Safe- Healthy Futures Project?

• Role specific training. Whether you are a Peer Group Leader, Mentor or Buddy you will receive training to support you within your role and accommodate your own support needs.
• Safety First! As volunteer you will be working closely with vulnerable individuals, often in an informal setting. You be required to complete a DBS check and provide 2 references, as well as completing compulsory safeguarding training.
• Support from the Volunteering and Group Development Officer to work through training, develop confidence, solve problems and grow into your role.
• Once you have successfully volunteered* with us we will be able to provide you with a Certificate of Recognition.
• Expenses incurred within your role (travel, lunch) will be reimbursed with prior agreement from the Project Management Team and in line with ILA policy (dependent on the number of hours you are volunteering for on any given day) .
• One-to-one support, including supervision and appraisal. We want you to feel rewarded within your role.

* Based on an agreed time period and outcomes.

For more information, scan the QR code or visit our website to access our Volunteer Handbook

S

Redbridge Respite Care - Activities Coordinator

Are you Interested in helping with activities?

Are you interested in helping others join in with activities, helping them bring out their creative side. We are looking for willing and able volunteers to assist with activities in a Dementia Day centre to help service users keep their minds active.

 We need volunteers who have:

• An interest in a certain activity (not a professional)
• Enjoy arts & crafts.
• Enjoy playing board games.
• Empathy

 You must be:

• A good communicator, the ability to pass on knowledge in a way that suits the learner.
• Warm and friendly personality.
• Creative.
• Sympathetic.
• Patient.

 Activity coordinator will learn how to:

• Coach users on a 1:1 basis or in a small group.
• Encourage others who are struggling.
• Planning activities.
• Encourage service users to try new things.
• Demonstrate how to do activities.

Benefits of the role:

Volunteers will have the opportunity to bring joy and excitement to those in need and to learn new ways to communicate in a way so others can understand.

• Information regarding clients will be given.
• DBS paid for.
• Indoor and outdoor activities. (Always at the same address)
• Staff always available to help.

Travel expenses:

Travel expenses will be reimbursed.

Job References:

We are happy to provide a reference after you have volunteered with us for 3 months.

Please click here to apply.

Redbridge Respite Care - Telephone Befriender 

Are you Interested in being a phone befriender?

 Are you interested in helping others by becoming a phone befriender. This involves calling an individual who has been diagnosed with Dementia or Mental Health to have a chat to alleviate loneliness.

We are looking for willing and able volunteers to assist with phone befriending on a one-to-one basis offering your time and support over the phone. This can be a call once a week or however much you see fit.

We need volunteers who have:

• Empathy
• Commitment
• Enjoy talking.
• Speak multiple Languages (Not necessary)
• Enthusiastic
• Encouraging

 You must be:

• A good communicator, the ability to pass on knowledge in a way that suits the service user.
• Friendly
• Great listener
• Understanding of people’s needs
• Sympathetic of others struggles.

 Phone befriender will learn how to:

• Encourage service users to try new things.
• Understand others struggles.
• Develop a new friendship.
• Deter loneliness.

Benefits of the role:

Volunteers will have the opportunity to bring joy and excitement to those in need, by supporting and encouraging those who are social isolated due to medical conditions.

• Companionship
• Help battle loneliness within the house.
• Giving others a purpose through your kind act.
• Stimulate others who are struggling with daily issues.

Phone call expenses:

Phone call expenses will be reimbursed.

Job References:

We are happy to provide a reference after you have volunteered with us for 3 months.

Please click here to apply.