Volunteering

Volunteer with Calderdale Industrial Museum!

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Calderdale Industrial Museum are looking for more volunteers!

In the museum that showcases progress developments from our locality, you will find just about something for everyone!

Whatever your skills or your age we are always looking for new members to join our team of volunteers. There are plenty of tasks, including textiles, engineering, admin, local knowledge, conservation of our exhibits, even just cleaning and tidying, any offer for help will be welcome.

The museum’s cafe is always busy on Saturdays and help is always appreciated. Even if you just want to get out of the house and make new friends, you’ll always find a warm welcome down at the Industrial Museum.

Calderdale Industrial Museum is located between Halifax Central Library and Burger king on Square Road any Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday and ask for a volunteer information form, or have a chat with one of our members who will be happy to help.

How did we do for Pelloween?

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[Article written by Natalie Ratner, Senior Community Organiser on the Place Based Social Action Project]

When I talk to people about their communities, one thing that is mentioned over and over is the lack of things for young people to do. Emma Nicholl, a long time Pellon resident, was one such person and being a big fan of Halloween, decided she would like to organise a Halloween party for the community. Not long after I met Emma, I was put in touch with Julie Jackson who had recently worked with Yorkshire Housing to start Pellon’s first community garden at the top of Rye Lane. After some successful events already, she also wanted to provide a Halloween event for the community.

Together we organised the Pelloween community event in just a month with the help and support from volunteers across Pellon and staff from Yorkshire Housing and North Halifax Partnership (NHP). We were keen to offer the event for free to be inclusive of everyone. We were able to do with this with a successful ward forum grant bid and funding from the Place Based Social Action Project.

This was an ideal opportunity to showcase some of the fantastic community venues in Pellon such as the Pellon Community Garden which is already proving its value in being an accessible outdoor space with huge potential for the future; and St. Columba’s Church Hall, a bright and welcoming space which is well equipped for events and meetings. I really enjoyed chatting with people about how Pellon used to be and how we can bring back some of the community spirit that used to be here.

Up at the community garden, there was a variety of stalls where you could get a glitter tattoo, balloon models, sweets and candy floss, Asian food, and much more. A face painter was there to paint children’s faces for free as well as the incredible birds of prey which you could hold for a donation.

Down at St. Columba’s Hall, everyone enjoyed the buffet kindly provided by Julie and family for the cost of ingredients – there was a queue for the burgers and hot dogs! The children enjoyed a fascinating bug show where they met all manner of bugs and beasties. There was also a craft table and prizes for the best dressed in three age ranges and the best dressed adults.

Julie J said ‘Without the volunteers who gave up their time to help, including our amazing young helpers (shout out to Louie who arrived at 09 30am to help!) this wouldn’t have happened. It was wonderful to see kids and adults alike enjoying themselves. Looking forward to hopefully coming together to hold many more events in the future. Thanks also for loaning us some wonderful decorations to help fill the garden area, Paul Tait.

The feedback we received made all the hard work worthwhile. Many people asked us to make this a regular event and to organise more events with children in mind, with lots of offers for help next time. Here is some of the feedback we received:

Thank you for today my kids have loved it

Absolutely amazing

Thank you for having us. My boys have had a great day It’s been lovely watching all the children get together playing & having fun!! The smiles on all the little ones faces today was priceless 😀

I’m pleased it went so well, I had a lovely time

Thank you for today! Was an amazing event and a much needed one in our area! The kids and adults loved it!! Hope to see more events upcoming!!

We are truly grateful for all you did and more. Our two were so so happy and loved it

‘I’m so pleased it went so well, I had a lovely time and hope the kiddies (and adults weren’t too grossed out at putting their hand in the Trick or Treat Scare box) I’m looking forward to our next event.

Pelloween! Was good to get out and about and the kids bloody loved it!!

Loved the bugs! Kids really enjoyed it all – thank you x

Enjoyed the birds and creatures

I was forced to go but it was good

The kids really enjoyed

Excellent for the community

Everything and everyone was amazing so much to do

Son really enjoyed the day. Thank you

Thank you again to everyone who helped or came along to make it such a great community event!

Emma Nicholl would also like to give thanks to all the volunteers for their help!

Become a virtual volunteer for Luv2MeetU

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There is an exciting new opportunity to become a virtual volunteer for Luv2MeetU working with our Virtual Coordinator Kit to run an innovative and comprehensive service for our adults with learning disabilities and /or autism.

Can you run a drama workshop, music event, gaming session or quiz on-line? Or another workshop/event with your own unique skills and interests?

Here at Luv2MeetU, Kit is developing a full and varied programme of virtual events for our club members to access nationwide. They go on round the world tours, sing their hearts out at karaoke and have discussion groups to name but a few! There will also be workshops to provide learning and life skills such as first aid and on-line safety.

Could you give one slot a week or month to run your own virtual activity to provide the people we support with an ever growing rich and varied on-line experience? It is especially important and invaluable to those struggling with anxiety, mobility issues or illness for example. It gives them a chance to still join in a social setting, communicate and to feel part of a community.

About you

You just need to be confident, organised, able to communicate well and be patient and understanding. Some knowledge of adults with learning disabilities and/or autism would be helpful but not essential. To be able to have fun!

As a volunteer you will receive training, free DBS, expenses paid and invaluable experience and skills to add to your CV. You will meet other volunteers and become part of a nation-wide team of volunteers helping our club members to access social events, reach their potential and to feel included, an incredibly rewarding experience.

All our events are designed to be all inclusive as we are working with adults with special needs so a volunteer with a disability requirement should not have an issue. If there was we would accommodate this straight away and work with the volunteer to resolve any issues.

All volunteers would have support from our community coordinator and volunteer coordinator, emergency numbers and details. They would have links to other volunteers to share ideas, experiences, problems.

About Luv2meetU

Luv2meetU is a Community Interest Company (CIC), run by and for people with learning disabilities and or autism. Our main aim is to ensure that everything we do is about providing better opportunities and activities for our club members in response to their needs and wishes.

Luv2MeetU works with adults with learning disabilities and /or autism. We run events and workshops that provide our club members with social activities, new experiences and learning opportunities. Examples of previous events include climbing, bowling, alpaca trekking and a relationship workshop. There is a community coordinator that you would be working with, either helping them on events which would allow greater numbers or running your own event, with a friend maybe, taking a group to the cinema or for a meal out for example. We want to give our adults an enriched and varied life whilst promoting independence, learning and well-being.

We are looking for volunteers to either help our community coordinator on events or run their own events, after training, with the adults that we support. You could sign up with a friend or family member, train together and then take our club members to the cinema, meal out or bowling once a month or how ever often you had time for. Design your own event, liaise with the coordinator who will write it into the next flyer and provide all the details you need. Expenses are paid, you’d be doing something hugely rewarding, giving an invaluable service to the community and enriching your own experiences and CV.

Next Sure Start Volunteering Course November 11&18 at Kevin Pearce Annexe

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The next Sure Start Volunteering course will run in the Annexe Building at Kevin Pearce in Ovenden over two sessions in November.

Sessions:
Friday 11 November 10am – 12pm
Friday 18 November 10am – 12pm

Week 1 : Volunteer opportunities within our Children’s Centres and what we can offer

Week 2 : Safeguarding, confidentiality, health and safety.

Once both session are complete and following the receipt of a DBS and 2two satisfactory references you will be allocated a volunteer role.

Any more info you might need will be on volunteer page on website

https://surestartchildrenscentresnhp.org.uk/core-services/volunteering/

Or scan the QR code on the image above.

You can  register your interest online here

To find out more, please contact us on 01422 251 090

Kevin Pearce Children’s Centre (Annex building)
Ovenden Road, HX3 5RQ

Could you become a Staying Well Telephone Befriender?

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Sometimes you want a brew and someone to talk to…

Here at Staying Well, we have our very own Telephone Befriending Service for people who for whatever reason might find chatting to someone regularly on the phone beneficial. We often find that the volunteers get just as much out of befriending as our clients. Volunteering with us requires no more than 30 minutes of your time every week for you to put your feet up, have a brew at the ready and have a light hearted conversation with our clients.

“I really enjoy giving something back and chatting to someone from a different generation – we have some great conversations all from the comfort of my own home” Matthew – Telephone Befriending Volunteer

No qualification or experience is needed for the role – it helps if you are empathetic, reliable, can listen well and have good banter! If you would like to know more, please contact us on stayingwellproject@calderdale.gov.uk or call 01422 392767.

Induction and training will be provided and you will be supported every step of the way.

For more information visit Staying Well Telephone Befriending

 

Join the Healthy Minds Volunteer Team!

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Charities in the voluntary sector are facing more and more challenging times, and we need our incredible volunteers now more than ever.We have THREE different volunteering opportunities at Healthy Minds, one of them could be right up your street!💭 Befriending Volunteer for our Like Minds Peer Support Project, supporting a peer to improve their mental health.💭 Walk Leaders for our Walks for Wellbeing programme💭 Volunteers for our Time Out project for children and young people, helping to deliver mental health education workshops in schools.Interested? Please pop Cath an email or call/text:cath@healthymindscalderdale.co.uk07960 972685

Become a Volunteer for Healthy Minds!

     

Become a Staying Well Telephone Befriender!

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If you are looking for a volunteering opportunity that can make a huge positive impact to someone, you may want to become a Staying Well Telephone Befriender.

We are looking for people from all walks of life, of any age, having a friendly, chatty approach, willing to reach out to someone who needs a chat.

You only need to commit 30 minutes a week but those 30 minutes can mean the world to someone.

Many of our telephone befrienders have shared that those sessions have improved their own wellbeing.

If you would like to know more, get in touch with Sharon Gibson, Telephone Befriending Co-ordinator on:
m:  07825 089288
t:    01422 392767
e: sharon.gibson@nhpltd.org.uk / stayingwellproject@calderdale.gov.uk

Induction and training will be provided and you will be supported every step of the way.

For more information visit Staying Well Telephone Befriending