Applications - Current Volunteer Opportunities

Children's Care & Support - Referral Order Panel Member

 Are you concerned with Youth Crime in YOUR local community?

 Do you have the skills to talk with young people who commit crime and victims of crime?

 Why not Join Barking and Dagenham Referral Order Panel and become a ‘Referral Order Panel Member’

 The general aim of a Referral Order Panel Members is to chair meetings or assist the chair in co-producing a contract with a young person who has offended.  The contract will include an agreed programme of work and activities to address re-offending & reparation to the victim or the wider community to repair the harm caused. 

Who can apply - it makes no difference where you come from or what work you do, as long as you are over 18 years old and are willing to make a difference within the community.

We need volunteers to:

• To sit on Referral Order Panel meetings when required.
• To read and understand the reports.
• Negotiate a contract with a young person.
• Be responsible for always safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

You must:

• Have an ability to understand documents, to identify and grasp relevant facts.
• Have an ability to be fair and think logically, to weigh arguments and reach conclusions with realistic expectations.
• Be reliable and consistent.
• Have respect for different ethnic, cultural and social backgrounds.
• Commitment to serve for at least a year.
• Have access to computer (or similar device) and the internet

Panel Members will learn how to:

• Engage with young people and their families.
• Become a Referral Order Panel Member
• Participate in a Referral Order Panel Meeting

Benefits of the role:

Volunteers will have the opportunity to learn and develop various skills. We will provide training on Restorative Panel Matters and additional mandatory training via council’s i-learning portal.

Travel expenses:

Travel expenses will be reimbursed.

Volunteering certificate of recognition:

We are happy to provide a volunteering certificate of recognition after you have volunteered with us for 6 months, if within this time you have been an active panel member.

Please click here to apply.

Community Fibre - Digital Ambassadors

Community Fibre are currently looking for volunteers to becoming Digital Ambassador's.

If you would like to join their team, please go to Community Investment | Digital Skills Courses | Community Fibre or email the team at digitalambassadors@communityfibre.co.uk 

Youth Spot Bar - Skate Fest Volunteers

Youth Spot Bar are looking for volunteers to support their weekly sessions at the Barking Learning Centre.

We are looking for volunteers with the following skills:

Skating Proficiency: Demonstrate excellent skating skills, including speed control, agility, and balance, while adhering to safety protocols and guidelines at all times.

Customer Service: Provide exceptional customer service by assisting patrons with skate rentals, sizing, and ensuring a positive experience for all skaters within the facility.

Safety Oversight: Maintain a vigilant eye on the skating rink to identify and mitigate potential safety hazards, enforce rules and regulations, and respond promptly to any emergencies or incidents.

Equipment Maintenance: Conduct routine inspections of roller skates and related equipment to ensure they are in proper working condition. Report any issues to management and assist with basic repairs or adjustments as needed.

Crowd Management: Monitor the flow of skaters on the rink, facilitate the orderly entrance and exit of patrons, and manage the density of skaters to prevent overcrowding and collisions.

Instruction and Assistance: Offer guidance and support to beginner skaters, including basic instruction on skating techniques, tips for improving balance, and assistance in getting up after falls.

Team Collaboration: Work collaboratively with other team members to maintain a clean and organised skating environment, assist with special events or promotions, and contribute to a positive team atmosphere.

Communication: Effectively communicate with supervisors, colleagues, and patrons to relay important information, address concerns or feedback, and ensure a smooth operation of the roller skating facility.

First Aid Response: Possess basic knowledge of first aid and CPR procedures to provide immediate assistance in the event of injuries or medical emergencies until professional help arrives.

Continuous Improvement: Actively seek opportunities for personal growth and development in skating skills, customer service techniques, and safety practices to enhance overall performance and contribute to the success of the roller skating team.

This Roller Skate Roles role description outlines the key duties and expectations for individuals working as part of the roller skating team, emphasising the importance of skating proficiency, customer service excellence, safety awareness, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Please click here to apply.

Mentors for Care Experienced Young People

Role Description

Are you able to give encouragement, advisory and emotional support to care experienced young people/ adults?

Do you have the skills to build a genuine relationship with a young person/adult who are in care or have left care?

 Why not Join Barking and Dagenham Children Care and Support and become a mentor for young people who need extra support

The purpose of this role

We aim to recruit a group of individuals who can form an authentic friendship and support young people who are care experienced.   

Who will you be supporting?

Care experienced young people/adults aged 13 years and above from various backgrounds including asylum seekers.

Who can apply?

Due to the vulnerability of the young people, you will be supporting, we would like individuals who will create genuine & lasting relationships that will require long term commitment. We aspire to create a group of mentors who young people will be familiar with. If you are over 21 years old and believe you have relational skills, this will be for you. 

We need volunteers who are:

• Patient and have listening skills.
• Basic transferable skills – such as DIY skills, budgeting skills, household skills
• Give emotional and advisory support.
• Able to engage in a conversation.
• Have a friendly & enthusiastic approach.
• Be non-judgemental and empathetic.
• Be reliable & committed.
• Be willing to be a companion on outings or appointments.  
• Be responsible for always safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people/adults.

• Have respect for different ethnic, cultural, and social backgrounds.
• Able to commit to 1.5 to 4 hours per week for a minimum two years.
• Able to travel.
• Even better if you can speak different languages.

You will learn how to:

• Engage with young people/adults especially in care or leaving care.
• Learn skills that could lead to a career in social care.

Benefits of the role:

You will have the opportunity to learn and develop various skills. We will provide:

• In house training with this role
• You will have access to mandatory training via council’s i-learning portal delivered online.

Travel expenses:

Travel expenses will be reimbursed.

Please click here to apply.

Reading Volunteer - Bookmark Reading Charity

Bookmark Reading Volunteers directly support children who are at risk of leaving primary school unable to read well. Struggling to read can contribute to poor educational attainment, lower literacy in adulthood and has even been linked to a lower life expectancy. You can help ignite the joy of reading and change a child’s story.

In this volunteer role, you’ll have 30-minute one-to-one reading sessions on 2 days per week. This is across 6 weeks with a child aged between 5 and 11 years old. Each session will involve reading stories and playing literacy games on our secure online platform or face-to-face. You’ll book your reading programme through Bookmark’s Volunteer Hub and select sessions on days and times that work with your commitments.   

To become a Bookmark Reading Volunteer, you should be: 

• 18 and over, and currently living in the UK.
• able to provide enthusiasm, encouragement, empathy and patience.
• free to commit to 30-minute one-to-one reading sessions on 2 days per week, across 6 weeks.
• able to provide two references for your application (for safeguarding reasons).prepared with access to a PC, laptop, Chromebook or iPad with a webcam and internet connection, and feel relatively comfortable using technology (for online reading programmes).

Volunteers tell us they find the role flexible, impactful and rewarding. More than 60% also say their own well being has improved because of volunteering with Bookmark!

Bookmark pays for your DBS checks, provides online training and offers volunteers ongoing support so that you can deliver fantastic and fun reading sessions, enabling all children to discover the joy of reading. 

Bookmark are proud to offer inclusive volunteering and work to deliver a greatly accessible volunteering role. Many of our reading programmes take place online, so there’s no need to travel or access a physical location to volunteer with Bookmark. Our application process and training are all completed online, and we have a helpful team at hand to offer support with technical or access requirements. 

Bookmark is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community. We aim to create an environment in which all individuals can make best use of their skills, free from discrimination or harassment, and in which all decisions are based on merit.

 Please click here to apply.