June's vMail

Welcome to June's vMail.

Have you just finished your exams and not sure what to do over the summer? Please take at this vMail for fun and exciting opportunities for you to get involved in, including Notting Hill Carnival, working with the Old Vic Theatre, a full-time opportunity with Clouddog and many more!

You may have recently watched the ‘British Academy of Film and Television Awards’ with many celebrities collecting their BAFTAs, but just remember that you can get awards too for your volunteering. vAwards can be gained after just 50hours of volunteering, and it looks great on your CV - Click here to find out more!

News

Back in 2008, Vinvolved became concerned about the numbers of young parents who were possibly being excluded from accessing volunteering opportunities. We want to make volunteering available to all young people, regardless of background or current situation, so to try to understand the reasons for this, we are conducting some research to identify the obstacles faced by young parents in accessing and maintaining volunteering placements, and therefore experiencing the benefits that participation could bring. The research team urgently need some assistance in recruiting research participants and setting up interviews - all we ask is that you have good communication and IT skills and the enthusiasm for the project to be able to sell it to other organisations. By taking part in this project you could gain some valuable skills and experience in research, communication, and contribute to a really interesting and important cause. If you would like to help out with this exciting project, please contact Chloe on vresearchers@googlemail.com

In the last edition, a volunteering opportunity was shown without it’s target audience: Food Cycle are calling all Duke of Edinburgh Gold students to be Project Leaders to lead and initiate projects aimed at generating better community cohesion and reducing food waste. In groups of 4-5 you will build a project from scratch, leading up to cooking for you local community. This is a fantastic opportunity for Duke of Edinburgh students working towards their gold award, or anyone who is able to commit a year to an exciting an innovate project. By the end of the year you will have gained invaluable management skills, co-ordinating with different share-holders and creating a successful enterprise projects.

Youth Action (eVolve)

On the 7th June, eVolve (our Youth Action Team) and City Year transformed a Homeless Families Centre’s outdoor space. This involved digging up weeds, planting flowers, and painting a fence - All of which was gratefully received by the Centre’s staff and service-users. This event coincided with Volunteer’s Week as well as the Homeless Centre’s 25th anniversary. It was a great day with lots of volunteers, where the sun shined and lots of beneficial work was achieved.

The next step for eVolve is a recruitment drive - we will be looking for new Youth Action Team members to fill roles such as Chairperson, Administrator and Treasurer. If this is something that would interest you, then please contact me for further details: mike.winn@londonyouth.org.uk

Volunteering Opportunities

Notting Hill Carnival: Support Volunteer
Volunteers will be required to assist in helping the costumed hands get around the carnival routes. You will also provide spectators with information about the event and directions to local amenities and facilities. Also help with the judging area, including seating people such as VIP's and people with a disability. This is an ideal opportunity for someone who wants to get experience in event management. Training will be provided and there is an opportunity to take an NVQ Level 2 in ‘Spectator Safety Training’, which is the basic qualification required to steward at major events. Please contact Chris Boothman on 07764 228295 or boothmancrw@msn.com

Cardinal Hume Centre: Music Group Volunteer (with CubeBase experience)
Energetic and dynamic volunteer needed to run music sessions on Friday afternoons/evenings. Volunteer will run a two-month music programme over the summer, they will help young clients to write their own songs, and raps etc and have them record it on the CubeBase system. At the end of the course the volunteer will take the young people to a professional recording studio to record their own track. Please contact the Volunteer Coordinators Emily Hynes or Flora Swartland on 02072221602 or info@cardinalhumecentre.org.uk

Missing People
Missing people provide support for families for someone who has gone missing.
Case Publicity Volunteer: When someone goes missing, a missing poster is created to help find them. The poster is then sent to as many organisations so it can be displayed to the public. Hopefully someone will then call Missing People with information about the missing person. Your role will include researching new organisations, recording contact details, and when trained can create posters, and look at missing people information.
Message Home/Runaway Helpline: Helpline, email and text service for people who have run away from home or care, or been forced to leave home. The help-lines are open day and night. Tasks include listening to a caller to find out what they need, and contacting services on behalf of caller. You will need excellent communication and listening skills, be calm, understanding and non-judgemental.
LOST database Administrator: The Local Area Services Tool (LOST) online database aims to contain up-to-date details of all projects and services across the country which might be of help to people away from home. Through LOST, young people who have runaway or are thinking of running way can easily search for relevant service close to where they may be. You will support lost by using database, research, using phone. You will need good computer skills and knowledge of databases.
Please contact Chloe Swinton on 02083924550 or volunteer@missingpeople.org.uk

Horniman Museum
Digital Content Coordinator: The Horniman Museum website is being redeveloped to include pages that showcase the museums youth projects. We are currently seeking a volunteer to keep these pages up-to-date and to support the new youth panel in producing the digital content for this site. The main task will be to update existing pages, working with staff to upload digital content to the site. Digital content will include attending youth panel meetings to plan and coordinate the production of digital content. Also, you will develop pages for the youth panel on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook.
Takeover event coordinator: Looking for a volunteer to support youth panel in planning and running youth take over events at the Horniman Museum and gardens. You will assist with the build up to the events taking place, including working to prepare a project timeline, developing activities, sourcing acts/performers, developing role descriptions. You will also help to promote the events, including developing marketing materials, talking at youth networks and schools to promote an event. An interest in event or project management would be ideal.
Please contact Jayne Williams on 02082918165 or jwilliams@horniman.ac.uk

National Aids Trust: Adobe INdesign Volunteer
National Aids Trust is the UK's leading charity dedicated to transforming society's response to HIV. We are looking for a volunteer with IT experience in Adobe INdesign computer software to help with the designing and formatting of leading publications. This role presents an exiting opportunity for someone wishing to gain experience of the voluntary sector and a chance to build on their existing IT skills. Please contact Helen on 02078146767 or info@nat.org.uk

STEP Out! 2010: Event Assistants
‘STEP out’ is an exciting performance bringing together 150 young people from Southwark primary and secondary schools at The Scoop, the amphitheatre next to City Hall. We need 10 volunteers to help us keep 150 school children in check as they rehearse and prepare for an ensemble performance at The Scoop on 14th and 15th June. So if you're free and would like to help, please get in touch with Beccy Allen on 02077086124 or Beccy@step-partnership.co.uk

The Old Vic Theatre: Tunnels Project
This year the Old Vic is running a series of exciting and innovative new arts projects underneath Waterloo station, and we need you to make it happen! We are looking for literally thousands of volunteers to help us over the following months, from helping with Front of House, stewarding and ticketing, to coming in one day a week and learning about how the site functions. We are also looking for a team of fantastic 16-25 year olds to join our internship programme and help us run the project. Working alongside another intern, you will gain experience in key project areas, with the opportunity to gain experience in marketing, production, development and more! Interns need to be enthusiastic and volunteer 3 days a week over a 3 month period. For more information, please contact Andy on andy.franzkowiak@oldvictheatre.com

Wisethoughts - GFest
Stewards and Ushers: Needed for Wisethought's Gaywise Festival in November. You will be managing audiences at events, distributing and collecting monitoring and evaluation forms and supporting artists and facilitators on the day. Experience of working with diverse communities will be an advantage. Travel and food expenses paid.
Marketing Volunteer: GFest need 2 young people to help deliver their marketing plan for GFEST 2010. Promoting GFEST 2010 events and activities through web-based marketing and e-flyering, to help generate audiences & participants for performances, short-films screenings, visual arts exhibition, arts workshops, debates and parties. Travel expenses paid.
Please contact Subodh Rathod on 0208 8899555 or info@wisethoughts.org

Battersea Arts Centre (BAC): Venue Manager
Play a unique part in BAC’s landmark One-on-One Festival from 6th to 18th July. Be responsible for a performance space, including ensuring artists are ready to perform and keep performances running on time. Look after audiences as they navigate their individual journey around BAC from attic to basement. Aged 18+. Please contact Eleanor on 02072232223 or eleanorl@bac.org.uk. You can also download an application form via www.bac.org.uk/get-involved/programmes/volunteering

Digibridge
A re-use and recycling service for local people
Electrical and Warehouse Support Assistant: You will assist with the sorting, distribution and cleaning of electrical goods. To help sort electrical incoming goods and help clean suitable sorted electrical goods for resale. Also, the volunteer will help dismantle non-repairable items and keep the shop tidy. You should be able to use your own initiative and work as part of a team. Aged 18+.
Warehouse and Driving Assistant: To ensure the smooth day to day running of the workshop and make sure all paperwork is completed and to maintain data systems as required. To work with staff/volunteers to be a driver’s mate assisting with delivery of products to customers/stakeholders will assist with the sorting, distribution and cleaning of electrical goods. Age 18+
Shop Assistant: To advise customers on purchases, and assist with displaying of merchandising stock, and operating the till and packaging purchases in Finsbury Park shop. You should be able to use own initiative and also work as part of a team.
Please contact Diye Wariebi on 07985233870 or diye@digibridge.co.uk

Camden Federation of Private Tenants
Sales and Marketing Co-ordinator: We need someone to help market and sell advertising space in quarterly newsletter. This will be done by creating marketing materials, developing marketing and sale strategies, organising mail outs, making follow-up phone calls and doing general administration. Aged 18+. Please contact Robert on 02073830151 or rtaylor@cfpt.org.uk

Youth Leadership
London Youth are currently recruiting for their annual free Youth Leadership Training (on the 10th and 11th July). They are looking for young people (aged 16 to 24) who might regularly volunteer in a youth club already, or a young person who would benefit from some training in how to become a Youth Leader. London Youth will provide this training in areas such as how to recruit participants, leading sessions, group dynamics and dealing with difficult situations which will then enable the young people to run 7-10 sessions with young people in your organisation over the summer. Following a successful placement, you will receive an AQA certification in Youth Leadership! Please contact natasha.de-freitas@londonyouth.org.uk

Are you available to volunteer full-time?

A full-time voluntary opportunity is a chance to get vital work experience, by committing to volunteer 30 hours per week for 3 months. It looks great on your CV and will stand you in good stead next time you have to fill in an application form or need to give a good example at a job interview! A placement can give you valuable work experience and greater confidence as you develop your skills and progress in your career. You'll even be encouraged to take advantage of training opportunities, as well as keeping a log of hours and work for rapid progression towards a vAward. Here is our full-time opportunity of the month:

Clouddog is an innovative educational program that works with inner city students from London and South Africa.
Clouddog Experiences 2010: The current programme builds your knowledge, your skills and your self-beliefs through a structured twelve month commitment that assists you in finding meaningful ways of contributing not only to your local community environment, but to communities and environments in other parts of the world. Utilising the environment as a unique vehicle, it’s a way for you, the volunteer, to play a bigger role in your home, your school, your community and the planet and changing your aspirations in the process. Volunteers must be 16 to 18yrs of age and registered to attend a school in Westminster, Islington or Camden. Please contact Teresa on 07900800989 or information@clouddog.org

Thanks for reading another edition of vMail. Please give us any volunteering stories you have, or even some vMail feedback. We’d love to hear from our young volunteers!