04 February 2012Volunteering is a great way to meet lots of new people and help out in your community. Volunteering can improve your career prospects and help you have a say on decisions made in your area.
There are many benefits of volunteering. These include:
Lend a Hand is a new project to help local people to volunteer in their community by providing details of local volunteering and providing a single point of contact for enquiries. For more details about Lend a Hand and volunteering opportunities in your community, please call 01732 227000 or e-mail lendahand@sevenoaks.gov.uk.
Volunteer Centres in Sevenoaks District
The main function of Volunteer Centres is to recruit and place volunteers with voluntary and not for profit organisations, as well as provide information and advice on issues relating to volunteering. It’s a great way to get more involved in your local community. Volunteers play a key role in helping organisations to provide vital services to communities in need.
Volunteers can work either as part of a team on a specific project or with individuals on a one-to-one basis. The opportunities are extremely varied. They can cover:
For more details of volunteering opportunities in your area, please contact your nearest Volunteer Centre:
North West Kent Volunteer Centre
Library & Information Centre
London Road
Swanley
BR8 7AE
Phone: 01322 669292 or local rate number: 0845 241 2180
e-mail: info@swanleyvolunteers.com
Sevenoaks & Edenbridge Volunteer Centre
Volunteer Centre Sevenoaks
Knole Academy West
Bradbourne Vale Road
Sevenoaks
Kent
TN13 3LE
Telephone 01732 454785
e-mail volunteering@vawk.org.uk
Edenbridge Outreach
The BRIDGES Centre
High Street
Edenbridge
Kent
TN8 6AJ
Telephone 01732 454785
e-mail volunteering@vawk.org.uk
VSU Youth in Action
VSU is a registered charity and youth action agency that has been operating in Kent for over 45 years. VSU's mission is to contribute to the education of young people (aged 14-25 years) by involving them in positive, practical and self-determined action in response to real community needs. VSU does this by recruiting young volunteers from schools, colleges and other community-based centres and supporting them in a wide range of volunteer activity, which benefits their local community.For more information about VSU Youth in Action, please click on the link.
Sevenoaks Local Board
Run by Kent County Council, Sevenoaks Local Board holds regular public meetings across Kent for people to have their say about issues that affect their community. It provides an opportunity for elected members of KCC to work more closely with the public and voluntary and private sector partners locally, to meet the aspirations of local people. Visit the Sevenoaks Local Board pages on the Kent Council Council website.
Kent Police Citizens' Panel
The Kent Police Citizens' Panel has been set up to find out the views of Kent residents on a range of important policing issues. The panel symbolises an important addition to the Kent Police and Kent Police Authority's public consultation programme. It allows the Police to consult members of the public and to appreciate, understand and reflect the needs of local communities across Kent. For more information, visit the Citizen's Panel pages on the Kent Police website.
Kent Police - Neighbourhood Watch
There are Neighbourhood Watch schemes set up and operating throughout the District. To find out about Neighbourhood Watch schemes in your local area, or if you would to like details of how to start one, please call Suzanne Daniell on 01732 379373 or visit the Kent County Neighbourhood Watch Association website.
Kent Police Volunteers
Kent Police volunteers give their time in a number of roles including helping on the front desk of police stations, supporting investigating officers, taking part in community events and acting as mystery shoppers.
To find out more about becoming a volunteer with Kent Police, please call Catherine Mulholland, Volunteers Coordinator, on 01622 653212 or visit the how to become a volunteer pages on the Kent Police website.
Special Constables
Kent Police would like to hear from if you are aged over 18 and under 50 and interested in becoming a Special Police Constable. You can find out more information by calling 0500 787700 or by e-mailing specials.recruitment@kent.pnn.police.uk.
PACT Panels
PACT Panels aims to identify local community priorities. They bring together Police and the Sevenoaks District Community Safety Partnership with local people to work together to improve communities. View more information about PACT Panels on this website.
NHS West Kent - Health Network
The Health Network is a voluntary network of people who are interested in different aspects of healthcare. As part of the Health Network, volunteers are able to complete surveys on a number of different healthcare issues, provide feedback on the way the PCT is working, attend focus groups on health topics and meet key decision makers to share views face to face. Everyone is eligible to join the Health Network. View the Health Network pages on the NHS West Kent website.
Volunteer Health Walk Leaders
Please click on the link to find out about health walks in the Sevenoaks District and details of how to become a Volunteer Health Walk Leader.
School Governors
Governors are volunteers who work in partnership with school headteachers to ensure that children receive the best education possible. Governors represent the largest volunteer group in the UK and are selected from a variety of backgrounds to reflect the many interest groups within our schools.
The governing body has a range of duties and powers, and a general responsibility for the conduct of the school with a view to promoting high standards of educational achievement. This includes setting targets for pupil achievement, managing the school's finances, making sure the curriculum is balanced, appointing senior staff, reviewing staff performance and pay and deciding how, in strategic terms, the school should be run.
Who can be a governor?
View details of the school governors page on the Kent County Council website.
West Kent Extra - Boomerang Project
Boomerang is a new project to help in your community and get some help back. Residents can swap their skills, give an hour of their time and get involved in their community. There are lots of different opportunities for residents to get involved in and there is no need to make an ongoing commitment. For more information about West Kent Extra's Boomerang Project, please click on the link.
Other Volunteering Opportunities
Do-it is the national volunteering database, which includes a search facility. The database includes over 1,000,000 volunteering opportunities across the country. For more details of the Do-it volunteering database and search facility, please click on the link.
