Making A Difference Volunteer Update

As some of you will already know through your own participation, Communities 1st have a volunteer blog, which can be found on our website. The Volunteer Blog allows us to share and provide an insight to all of the help and support going on behind the scenes. 

With submissions from all areas of volunteering across the organisation, the volunteer blog allows everyone a chance to hear from our wonderful volunteers. You can also explore the blog to see what volunteering is like from the perspective of a Communities 1st volunteer. 

You can find the volunteer blog by clicking here. You can also find it by visiting our website, www.communities1st.org.uk and clicking on the 'About Us' tab. You will then be able to find our 'Volunteer Blog' page on the drop down bar, where you can then explore all of the blogs available!

If you have any questions about the volunteer blog or where to find it, please do feel free to get in touch and send us an email.

Why not come along to support the members of your local community at our Creative Cafes/Community Spaces. Apart from welcoming visitors and helping with activities this year we also want volunteers to be able to become Energy Agents. In this role you will be able to help people make informed decisions about their energy usage, conserving energy and safety. 

If you would enjoy delivering this helpful advice to people in your community who need it, then please get in touch with a member of the team or sign up on your dashboard. You will be given full training and resources to help you in this role. 

Our creative Café/ Community spaces are available across Hertfordshire and every week from Monday to Friday in Hertsmere. Find out which is closest to you below: 

• Mondays: Windsor Hall Community Centre, Borehamwood from 10:30am to 2:30pm.
• Tuesdays: Phillimore Community Centre, Radlett from 12pm to 4pm. 
• Wednesdays: Aberford Community Centre, Borehamwood from 12pm to 4pm.
• Thursdays: Farriers Way Community Centre, Borehamwood from 10am to 2pm. 
• Fridays: Organ Hall Community Centre, Borehamwood from 10am to 2pm. 

If you feel that this is the volunteering opportunity for you, please contact us by emailing us at welcome@communities1st.org.uk or call us on 01727649970 or 01727649980.

With the help of our committed volunteers, Communities 1st are able to deliver services and support to lots of people within our local community every week! 

We think that it is important for us to share some of the amazing successful support cases with you, to see how much your volunteering helps to support people in your local community who need it most! 

Helping Harold - A case study 

Harold came to Communities 1st as he needed some support in getting his shopping every week as he is house bound and does not have any support from family, friends or neighbours. Through the help of our dedicated volunteers, Communities 1st were able to arrange a weekly shopping delivery for Harold which meant he no longer had to worry about getting his essential items. 

In the last few years Harold has been receiving our help, the regular volunteers acknowledge a decline in Harold's physical and mental health. The volunteer raised their concerns with the Communities 1st team which allowed us to have a conversation with Harold and see what additional help he could benefit from. 

Now, thanks to the volunteers who regularly visited Harold and noticed the initial signs that Harold was having a difficult time, we have been able offer additional support and put him in touch with organisations who can ensure he is receiving help with his daily tasks such as keeping his house clean and tidy.

We have continued to support Harold with his shopping on a weekly basis and can see a clear positive impact has been made to his mental and physical health and wellbeing through the additional support. 

If it wasn't for our compassionate volunteers who regularly support people like Harold, we would not be able to obtain the valuable insight into their personal lives. Sometimes, it is not easy for people to ask for help, so we are always grateful to those volunteers who discretely raise any concerns which allows us to offer additional support to those who need it. 

(No real names are used in this case study to protect the privacy of those involved.) 

If you want to help someone with practical activities such as gardening and handyperson tasks, the Handyperson volunteering opportunity may be for you! 

With the weather getting better and the grass getting longer, we are receiving a lot of requests for help around the garden from people who are no longer able to do this on their own. 

If you would like to volunteer whilst also getting to spend more time outside in the fresh air, then then Handyperson and Gardening volunteer opportunity may be for you!

If you would like to take part, please get in touch by sending us an email.

You can also call us on 01727649980.

You can download the Active April 2024 Calendar here.

We are currently recruiting for some vacancies within the Making a Difference Team you can see full details on our recruitment page.

There are also two exciting opportunities to join the Voluntary Sector Partnerships Team

Outreach and Partnerships Coordinator Role
Communities 1st are looking to fill a vacancy for an Outreach and Partnership Co-Ordinator. One of the areas Communities 1st focuses on is facilitating co-production between local communities and the public sector to promote inclusive decision making and service development. 

If you would like to find out more about this position, or if you would like to apply, please visit our website to find out more! 

As the Outreach and Partnerships Coordinator, you will play a pivotal role in coordinating and delivering a range of projects aimed at fostering co-production between local communities and the public sector and reducing health inequalities. If you think this is something you would like to do, please do get in touch.

Partnerships and Development Coordinator Role
Communities 1st are looking to fill a vacancy for Partnerships and Development Co-ordinator, a role that will play a pivotal part in enhancing the effectiveness and outreach of VCSE groups, organisations and networks.

If you would like to find out more about this position, or if you would like to apply, please visit our website to find out more! 

The Coordinator will play a crucial role in bridging connections with local groups, enhancing volunteering opportunities, and using innovative techniques and social media to further our objectives, so if you think that this is something you would like to do please get in touch. 

Communities 1st is launching Let’s Give, a new service for volunteers. You will be able to create your own space on our website, so that organisations can find out more about you and reach out regarding their volunteering roles.

You won’t need to display any personal contact information as we will do all the brokerage, so we will put you in touch with the given organisation.

It’s a great way to showcase your skills and experience to local community groups and can help match you with a role where you can make a real difference.

You can do this by logging into your dashboard and editing your Volunteer Centre profile – scroll down to the section on External Volunteer Opportunities.

New Volunteer Expenses Claim Form

We have a new volunteer expense request form. If you don't have it, please email us and we will send it to you.

For Shopping Delivery and Prescription Collection Expenses

• To claim expenses, please sign up to our dashboard and upload your expenses there. Click here to create a login using the same email address that you originally signed up with. You will then see a list of your completed and pending activities.
• Please submit expense claims the same week that you carried out your shop, and if appropriate, provide a photo of your receipt. If an expense is not claimed in a timely manner it can lead to a client going into arrears, which can cause them stress and confusion. We appreciate your help with this.
• If this is your first shop, you will first need to email us your bank details  so you can be reimbursed.

For Drivers, Litter Pickers and Other Roles' Expenses

• You will have been sent an expense claim form when you confirmed your job. To claim your expenses, please complete this and return it to the sender.