About the role

To provide support to people who have caring responsibilities for one or more family members.

Key Tasks

· To support neighbourhood officer with engagement activities

· To explain the support and services on offer within the borough

· To enable people with carer responsibilities to identify problems as they arise and explore how these might be managed

· To liaise with health and social care professionals

· To support neighbourhood officer with meeting

· To support neighbourhood officer with outreach work

· To establish and develop relations with carers

· To assist neighbourhood officer with activities for carers

Is this the right role for me?

· Good listening skills.

· Communication: ability to communicate effectively adults.

· Understanding/experience of carers issues.

· Self-motivation: ability to work unsupervised and to use own initiative.

· Able to give regular commitment to the project.

· To be sensitive and respectful.

· Applicant must be 18 or over.

· To undertake an induction and participate in other training as required by the role.

Benefits of volunteering

· Enjoying the experience of volunteering as part of a friendly team and meeting new people.

· Increasing your confidence and learning new skills.

· Using your experience with Lewisham carers information&advice and support services to develop your CV and seek work in health and social care or other fields of employment.

Reasonable travel and expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with our Volunteer Policy.

Working in a team of user engagement HEROES is looking for a dedicate and positive volunteer, ideally from within the healthcare sector, to focus on connecting with NHS workers, primarily in local NHS trusts with the region, but also hospices, CCGs, and care-homes within a specified home region (London, Wales, Scotland, South-West, South-East, North-West, Midlands) with the ultimate goal of connecting with users via internal comms and promoting engagement with our services (Childcare grants, counselling, PPE etc).

HEROES is looking for a motivated, passionate and thoughtful researcher to explore and study the impact of wellbeing delivery and user needs amongst the NHS healthcare workforce, both in the community yet to be connected and the user group accessing our services already. This will vastly inform our work to support NHS workers and make sure we are as effective as possible. The position holder will be expected to liaise with universities/research groups and other studies ongoing, collate and present research to the board, as well as design and deliver research strategies. 

HEROES is looking for a motivated, passionate and thoughtful researcher to be seconded to the HEROES Legacy project, in the initial phases to create a verified database of the bereaved families of healthcare workers that lost their lives due to COVID-19, with the purpose of creating a lifelong cohort support programme for education, opportunity and basic necessities for the dependent children. 

The position holder will be expected to liaise with universities/research groups and other studies ongoing, collate and present research to the board and the Legacy project heads, as well as design and deliver research strategies. 

HEROES wants to recruit a dedicated and passionate project worker to support various logistics projects and fundraising in an administrative and planning capacity. Working in a team with the immediate PM to support NHS workers in a variety of projects, candidates should be forward looking, innovative and flexible to meet a variety of tasks in a variety of settings.

HEROES is looking for a motivated, passionate and thoughtful research volunteer to explore and study the impact of wellbeing delivery and user needs amongst the NHS healthcare workforce, both in the community yet to be connected and the user group accessing our services already. This will vastly inform our work to support NHS workers and make sure we are as effective as possible. The position holder will be expected to liase with universities/research groups and other studies ongoing, collate and present research to the board, as well as design and deliver research strategies. 

Who we are:

The National Autistic Society is here to transform lives, change attitudes and create a society that works for autistic people.

We transform lives by providing support, information and practical advice for the 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK, as well as their three million family members and carers. Since 1962, autistic people have turned to us at key moments or challenging times in their lives, be it getting a diagnosis, going to school or finding work.

We change attitudes by improving public understanding of autism and the difficulties many autistic people face. We also work closely with businesses, local authorities and government to help them provide more autism-friendly spaces, deliver better services and improve laws.

Why we need you:

The Education Rights Service provides impartial, confidential information, advice and support on education rights and entitlements for parents and carers of pre-school and school-age children with autism across the UK.

The information is provided primarily via a telephone based service frequently backed up by email and written communication. Volunteers provide this from their own home.

About this volunteering opportunity:

Location: Scotland, home based

Training dates: Weekend training will take place in Glasgow in January 2021

Time: Four hours per week. You can choose when to make calls and you can spread the hours across two or more days around your other commitments.

You will be:

• Calling parents and carers of children on the autism spectrum who have contacted the Education Rights Service
• Offering accurate and up to date information on education legislation, regulations and guidance
• Helping parents to get appropriate provision for their child and providing information on relevant issues and helping them to write letters and prepare for meetings
• Carrying out case work which may include gathering, reading and analysing documents and carrying out research
• Recording details of interactions with parents on the Education Rights Service database and keeping accurate records
• Dealing appropriately with confidential information and documentation in line with the service’s policies.

Some occasional travel to attend training and forums will be necessary.

Skills and experience:

Knowledge of education law and autism would be desirable, but not essential, as would a legal background.  You will need to: 

• Be a good communicator, both verbally and in writing, as the role involves providing (often complex) information to parents and carers
• Have excellent telephone, negotiation and problem solving skills
• Be able to self-motivate and work on your own initiative
• Organise, prioritise and manage your own time
• Have a positive and flexible approach
• Be able to deal with people at all levels, using tact and diplomacy
• Be able to remain calm, even in stressful situations
• Be reliable, consistent and dependable

Knowledge of education law and autism would be desirable, but not essential, as is previous experience of handling confidential documentation. 

Closing date: 07/08/20

Post: Grants & Fundraising Trustee (Executive Member)
Salary: This is a voluntary role. Para Dance UK will refund reasonable travel & subsistence expenses and 
work-related expenses. 
Location: Home and Office based. Trustee meetings will be held in Para Dance UK Head Office (Watford) 
and via teleconference.
Hours: A minimum commitment of 8 hours per month (inclusive of meetings). 
Trustee meetings: Trustee meetings are held on a weekend every quarter (on Saturday’s, 
1 every 3 months). The board also conduct monthly teleconferences for 1 hour (usually on Monday 
evenings) to discuss key Para Dance UK business.
Role of our Trustees: The Board of Trustees are responsible for the overall decision making for Para 
Dance UK and to set the strategic direction of the charity. Trustees’ develop the aims, objectives and goals 
of the charity in accordance with our governing document and legal and regulatory guidelines. They have 
oversight for strategy, financial management and risk.
You will have experience of senior decision making and / or influencing at board level.
Essential specialist experience: We’re seeking an individual with proven experience in Fundraising and 
Grant development to help us shape and support our development and delivery around Individual giving, 
Fundraising Campaigns and Applications to Grant and Trust Foundations. We are at a key turning point in 
looking at a wider variety of options and support to diversify how we implement and engage communities in 
Para dance UK fundraising activities. 
Main Responsibilities 
• To ensure that Para Dance UK and its representatives’ function within the legal and regulatory 
framework of the sector, and in line with Para Dance UK governing document. 
• To uphold the fiduciary duty invested in the position
• Undertaking such duties in a way which continually strives for best practice in governance and 
confidence and trust in Para dance UK. 
• To determine the overall direction and development of the charity through good governance and 
clear strategic planning.
Main Duties
• Ensuring the charity complies with legislative and regulatory requirements, and acts within the 
confines of its governing document and in furtherance to organisational activities contained therein. 
• Acting in the best interest of the charity, beneficiaries and future beneficiaries at all times. 
• Promoting and developing the charity in order for it to grow and maintain its relevance to society. 
• Maintaining sound financial management of the charity’s resources, ensuring expenditure is in line 
with the organisations’ objects, and investment activities meet accepted standards and policies.
• Appointing and monitoring the work and activities of the Senior Management Team.
• Ensuring the effective and efficient administration of the charity and its resources.
• Acting as a counter-signatory on charity cheques and any applications for funds.
• To maintain absolute confidentiality about all sensitive/confidential information received in the  course of trustee’s responsibilities to Para Dance UK.

Specific Responsibilities 
• To oversee individual giving and grant activity, making sure that it is carried out in legal, honest and 
accountable way. 
• To assess strategically where fundraising and grant development fits into the overall organisational 
strategy and to work with relevant staff and volunteers to ensure effective fundraising income is 
being achieved in the short and long term. 
• To explore opportunities for individual fundraising, trust and foundation opportunities
• To be an active champion of the organisation. 
• To encourage an entrepreneurial fundraising culture and assess the cost benefit ratio of each 
planned type of fundraising

If you would like to apply please ensure you include with you CV a 500 word statement explaining why you would make a good trustee

Role of our Trustees: The Board of Trustees are responsible for the overall decision making for Para 
Dance UK and to set the strategic direction of the charity. Trustees’ develop the aims, objectives and goals 
of the charity in accordance with our governing document and legal and regulatory guidelines. They have 
oversight for strategy, financial management and risk.
You will have experience of senior decision making and / or influencing at board level.
Main Responsibilities 
• To ensure that Para Dance UK and its representatives’ function within the legal and regulatory 
framework of the sector, and in line with Para Dance UK governing document. 
• To uphold the fiduciary duty invested in the position
• Undertaking such duties in a way which continually strives for best practice in governance and 
confidence and trust in Para dance UK. 
• To determine the overall direction and development of the charity through good governance and 
clear strategic planning.
Main Duties
• Ensuring the charity complies with legislative and regulatory requirements, and acts within the 
confines of its governing document and in furtherance to organisational activities contained therein. 
• Acting in the best interest of the charity, beneficiaries and future beneficiaries at all times. 
• Promoting and developing the charity in order for it to grow and maintain its relevance to society. 
• Maintaining sound financial management of the charity’s resources, ensuring expenditure is in line 
with the organisations’ objects, and investment activities meet accepted standards and policies.
• Appointing and monitoring the work and activities of the Senior Management Team.
• Ensuring the effective and efficient administration of the charity and its resources.
• Acting as a counter-signatory on charity cheques and any applications for funds.
• To maintain absolute confidentiality about all sensitive/confidential information received in the 
course of trustee’s responsibilities to Para Dance UK.

If you would like apply please supply your CV with 500 words as to why you would make a good Trustee.

Project

There is a huge variety of tasks available to communications volunteers depending on the volunteers’ interests, experience and the activities going on within Voluntario Global at the time. Some of these tasks include:

• Creating content and updating the social media sites: Voluntario Global keeps people up to date with its work and spreads its message through the use of social media such as Facebook and Instagram. It is important to keep these pages up to date with recent activities and new volunteers, and communications volunteers can take on this responsibility. Volunteers will visit various projects or events throughout the week and take photos of the activities and the volunteers to post on Voluntario Global’s social media. They can also document what volunteers get up to in their free time.
• Writing blogs for the Voluntario Global website: Living in the city of Buenos Aires and visiting all the different volunteer projects, there are so many interesting things to write about. Voluntario Global’s website has a blog section for volunteer experiences, culture or current issues and many other topics which you will keep up to date. You have the option to write a few short blogs per week which will be posted onto the webpage and the Facebook giving people more of an insight into living in Buenos Aires and the volunteer experience.
• Interviewing: To ensure that Voluntario Global has up to date information on the volunteers, the projects and the coordinators working at the projects, you can take on the role of interviewing people. These interviews may be with current volunteers in English or Spanish, or with people from in the projects in Spanish and may be used in video form, or be typed up and used for descriptions of projects or website information.
• Translation: The Voluntario Global website uses both English and Spanish so volunteers can help translating information for the website or for the project descriptions.

In order to accomplish tasks, it is important that the volunteer possesses initiative, collaborative skills and empathy to join the activities of the different projects. It is also advisable you bring your own laptop to work more comfortably.

Availability

This program is available all year round. For communications volunteers, there are no fixed hours per week. The hours are flexible and adaptable, they will often depend on the needs of the organization each week and the availability of the volunteer.

Location and first day at work

The Communications Team will coordinate and run their main tasks in the office located in San Telmo. Weekly tasks are organized in two meetings each week, one on Mondays and one on Fridays to discuss what volunteers will be doing during the week and to share ideas and proposals.

Spanish Level Required

The Spanish level required for this role is basic. However a good level of Spanish helps and allows better development of some tasks. The communications coordinators speak English.

Minimum stay

8 weeks

Background Information

Villa 21 is a large unstable housing settlement South of Buenos Aires. It mostly lacks paved roads and sewerage; many houses are made of perishable materials and have no running water or drainage. The neighborhood faces serious health problems, as it is located on the creek that divides the capital city of the province, and is highly contaminated, causing respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases that primarily affect children. The soup kitchen is visited by approximately 50 people from the neighborhood for lunch every day. The space is also available to support teenagers when there are volunteer teachers willing to help them.

The support from social organizations is fundamental in this very poor neighborhood, mainly because its precarious situation affects families that need to face a lack of infrastructures and serious problems of public sanitation. Indeed, many families live in houses where they have problems with light and where they don't have running water nor a drainage system, in an area which has huge weaknesses in terms of sewer systems and road pavements. Moreover, it is located near a river which is highly contaminated by the chemicals released by nearby factories, and this generates respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases that mainly affect the children. Although faced with this situation, people don't receive any help from the government to improve their standards of living that are now miserable and harmful to their health. There are some housing construction projects in the works but they are slow-coming and displacing the inhabitants that are the most affected by the contamination of the river. In addition to this precariousness, today, ambulances refuse to come into the area.

Why is this project important for the community?

The soup kitchen cooks for the kindergarten and the people from the town. Thus, this organization is based on working with families and children from first to seventh grade, supporting them in their growing and development process, with a team of professionals and social workers. This Community Center was founded in 1994 and began as a soup kitchen until it expanded into a kindergarten with the help of the mothers from the area.

The main goal of the Community Center is to offer the children's families a place of education and integral support. Moreover, the kitchen and center help to compensate these families’ economic situation. It is a place of exchange between teachers, social workers, parents and volunteers from the area and from Voluntario Global that work together for the safe upbringing of the children. It is also a place where the unemployed women from the area are able to have training sessions that take place periodically with professionals.

Role of the Volunteer

From 7:00 am to 2:00 pm, the kitchen prepares breakfast and lunch for the kids in the kindergarten and it also prepares food for the community members. The volunteer will be able to help in many tasks such as assist the women in the kitchen by washing and cutting vegetables, preparing the dessert for the children and help in the cleaning process after everything is served.

What do you learn as a volunteer?

When helping at the Soup Kitchen, you learn to appreciate the value of the small things, how to truly connect with people and the power that these relationships can have on your life and the lives of others, on the communities and the future. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, what language you speak, what kind of house you live in or what kind of job you have. In the end, we are all human and we get so mixed up in focussing on other unimportant aspects that we forget that deep down we’re all the same. You will realise that even the smallest thing you do, can make someone else's day.

How does your work impact on the community?

Your help is invaluable for the workers and for the community members because this center is an integral part of their everyday life. Furthermore, the ladies and workers would not be able to participate in this cultural exchange if there aren’t any volunteers willing to help. The women also love helping the volunteers learn a bit of Spanish because they are like family to them. Here, the volunteer can learn so much about the Argentinian culture and see how many traditional dishes are prepared. It’s a place where you can completely feel the support of a community and you never leave the kitchen without a smile on your face.

Background Information

This kindergarten is part of a Community Center that helps the population of the area with various activities such as a kindergarten, a playground for the younger kids, afterschool support workshops, a vegetable garden to be tended by the children when they are old enough, and the soup kitchen that cooks for the kindergarten and the people from the neighborhood. Thus, this organization is based on working with families and children from first to seventh grade, supporting them in their growing and development process, with a team of professionals and social workers. The Community Center was founded in 1994 as a soup kitchen, and the kindergarten was started by the mothers from the area a few years later.

Why is this project important for the community?

The main goal of this Center is to offer the children's families a place of education and integral support, where they can find social and psychological benefits. It ultimately represents a way to compensate for the schools' weaknesses and the lack of investment from the Government to improve them. Those who belong to the organization understand that the work with children is not efficient if it doesn't start from the beginning, with the youngest children, and this is the kindergarten's task. It is also a place where the unemployed women from the area can have training sessions that take place periodically with professionals.

Role of the Volunteer

From 8:00 am to 3:30 pm, the kindergarten welcomes and educates the children from the area. The volunteer can do a multitude of things such as assist the teachers with organizing activities, play with the children, help to feed them during lunch time, help in the cleaning process and much more! The Kindergarten is a place of exchange between teachers, social workers, parents and volunteers from the area, as well as from Voluntario Global. They all work together for the safe upbringing of the children and this gives the international volunteers a unique opportunity for learning about this perspective and exchanging valuable experiences.

What can you learn as a volunteer?

The help of the volunteer is invaluable for the teachers and for the population of the area because it represents both a practical support and cultural exchange. In this area where a variety of cultural communities live together, the volunteer learns about social diversity. Moreover, they can exchange with the local inhabitants about teaching methods and share their own experience and ideas to improve the organization of the kindergarten. These different viewpoints represent a wealth for this place and all initiatives are well received. This project is perfect to benefit from the company of children, who always have energy and whose smiles make us happy every day.

How does your work impact on the community?

The support from social organizations and volunteers is fundamental in this neighborhood, mainly because its precarious situation affects families that need to face a lack of infrastructures and serious problems of public sanitation. Indeed, many families live in houses where they have problems with light and where they don't have running water or a drainage system, in an area which has huge weaknesses in terms of sewer systems and road pavements. Also, it is located near a river which is highly contaminated by the chemicals released by nearby factories, and this generates respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases that mainly affect the children. Although faced with this situation, people don't receive help from the government to improve their standards of living that are now disadvantage and harmful to their health. There are some housing construction projects in the works but they are slow-coming and displacing the inhabitants that are the most affected by the contamination of the river. In addition to this precariousness, today, ambulances refuse to come into the area. Therefore, having volunteers coming to help them and wanting to learn from them and share time with them is crucially important for making them visible and appreciated in today’s society.

Background Information

This English School is located in Pablo Nogues. In the past, this school has had to face many problems which have completely changed Silvia's original plan. She began the school with three other teachers through the concept of an affordable school for the children of the town whose parents belong to the working class. However, because the school functions without any funding from the government and because of the economic crisis, the lack of financial support almost forced Silvia to declare bankruptcy because she could no longer pay the teachers. Without change, the school would have had to close but thanks to Armin, one of the founders of Voluntario Global, they were able to find a solution and keep the doors of this invaluable place open. Instead of paying teachers, Armin helped with the creation of a cooperative that will give older students the opportunity to teach younger students with the help of volunteers. So now the school hires their own graduate students to teach in the classrooms and thus gives them the opprotunity to have experience in order to find a formal job.
 

Why is this project important for the community?

Although there are no professional teachers, the volunteer teachers provide a rich and cultured education. Other English schools are between three to five times more expensive than this one, therefore, parents living in nearby neighborhoods are not able to send all of their children to study English. This is why the school is important for the community; it allows all the children to have the same opportunities and access to education, and it is also a way to fight for social justice. There is a lack of infrastructure, such as running water and paved roads in this particular neighbourhood and it is also known to be “left aside” because the state does not intervene. However, the school helps the families and also the young people of the town, because it also provides a first-job opportunity to students that are more advanced. This allows students to have a disposable income with which they can travel; an almost foreign opportunity to most.

Volunteer’s Role

The volunteers use their knowledge of English to help the students in group classes. The presence of native speakers evidently is very helpful to the children’s learning of the language.

Your role in the school will be proportionate to your level of Spanish and the amount of time you can volunteer for. Consequently, this program is ideal for undergraduate students of modern languages on a year abroad, particularly those interested in teaching. If your Spanish and/or time is limited, you will be able to assist classes.

What can you learn as a volunteer?

Learning is a two-way street because the volunteer also learns through this experience. Their official duties are to assist the teenaged teachers, help them with pronunciation or grammatical rules, correct homework, read and explain to the children the basic elements of the language. Moreover, they can also help the oldest students get ready for international exams. This work allows the volunteer to exchange with people from different cultures, mainly thanks to the mix between communities from various countries of Latin America. Furthermore, teaching is the perfect exercise to learn how to speak to an audience and to get its attention. The volunteer learns to communicate with the youngest children who don't speak English correctly, and is able to learn how to adapt quickly and use other means of communication. Above all, the volunteer is able to create relationships with their students that will go beyond the classroom.

HEROES runs an innovative direct grants service to support NHS workers in difficulty with childcare requirements. Our online portal requires a dedicated and compassionate administrator to field emails, check necessary requirements are being input, and respond in a timely manner to those that need support or have not given the required information, as well as to administer the grant process from application to deliver and to collate terms and conditions letters for audit purposes, working under the auspices of the finance manager.