Things have been on hold at the Volunteer Centre for a while, but the team have been gearing up and increasing the number of organisations and opportunities registered, so that you can find something that ticks your boxes.
Whether you’re looking to meet new people, learn new skills or simply give back to your community, the Isle of Wight Volunteer Centre will be able to help you find the right opportunity for you.
Volunteer Fair moving online
Regular readers will know that once a year a Volunteer Fair is held. Hundreds of people use this opportunity to find out more about volunteering for charities and other voluntary sector organisations.
As you might expect in light of Covid19, it’s not possible to hold the Volunteer Fair in person this year, but as many Island organisations are crying out for help, the team have decided to move it online.
The impacts of Covid-19 have meant that some older volunteers have had to temporarily stand down from some of their duties, which makes the need for recruiting new volunteers all the more important.
All the groups are well aware of the need to keep their volunteers safe at this time and will be constantly managing risk and changing how they deliver services to make them as safe as possible.
Who might it interest?
Have you recently discovered that you have some spare time on your hands and would like to use it for a worthwhile cause?
Maybe you have been furloughed or are working more flexibly from home?
You might be one of the many currently out of work and looking to boost your confidence, gain new skills and improve your chances of gaining paid employment?
You could be a young person who is studying and now have more flexibility to take on volunteering opportunities?
Or perhaps you’re new to the Isle of Wight and looking to make friends or dip your toes into a community project.
How to access the online Volunteer Fair
From the 24th October, you can go online and watch videos from local organisations talking about the volunteering opportunities they have.
Hear from people who are already volunteering and learn a bit more about why volunteering could be right for you.
There will also be the option of signing up for free online meetings with some of the organisations, so that you can ask questions and meet some of the team.
Wide variety of opportunities
There are a diverse range of organisations that can offer volunteering experience, including:
Barnardos; Independent Arts; English Heritage; Wight Aviation Museum; Vectis Radio; IW Shipwreck & Maritime Museum; Age UK IW; Optio Car Service; British Red Cross; IW Steam Railway; The Storeroom; Citizens Advice IW; IW Refugee Project; Care In The Garden; Inclusion IW; Travel Ambassadors; NIHR Health Research; Sight For Wight; Isle Access; Ventnor Botanic Garden; IW Pride; Gift To Nature; Dimbola Lodge; British Heart Foundation; Girlguides and HomeStart IW.
Sheldon: “Do take advantage of volunteer fair and get involved”
Lord-Lieutenant, Susie Sheldon, said,
“Our whole Island community relies very heavily on volunteers and it’s never been so clearly illustrated as over the Covid lockdown and the last few months.
“I would encourage everyone to look at volunteering opportunities, particularly the young. Do take advantage of this virtual volunteer fair and get involved!”
Ciccognani: “Fun to be had:
Sandy Ciccognani, Community Action Isle of Wight, said,
“I’ve been really pleased with how many organisations have embraced this opportunity to take part in our first virtual volunteer fair. We are getting new videos every day about volunteering opportunities available on the Island and we’re putting them all online for people to see in one place.
“I am passionate about getting new people interested in volunteering. There are so many things you can learn, people to meet and fun to be had.”
More info
There is still time to get involved. If you are an organisation looking for volunteers, get in touch asap [email protected]
For more information, have a look at the Isle Volunteer Website, contact the Volunteer Centre on 01983 539377.
Access the online fair from 24th October via the Community Action Isle of Wight Website.
Our thanks to Community Action Isle of Wight for sponsoring this event feature. They and other organisations taking paid promotion enables you to continue reading OnTheWight for free
Image: Clark Tibbs under CC BY 2.0
