Are you a volunteer involving organisation?
Do you support or supervise volunteers?

Yes? Then you are warmly welcome to attend the next Solihull Volunteer Forum  on Tuesday January 24th 2012 from 12.30pm–3pm at the Loft, Bluebell Centre, Chelmsley Wood. Lunch will be provided.

There will be plenty of opportunity to network with other Volunteer Co-ordinators plus  Maureen Shepherd, Manager of the Solihull and Chelmsley Wood  Volunteer Centres will be leading a session on the work of the new centre.. She will be answering all those questions we all want to know, but maybe were hesitant to ask, including:

• What does the Volunteer Centre do?
• How can the Volunteer Centre help you?
• What do you want from the Volunteer Centre?

If you would like to attend  this interesting and important event please complete this form so that we can order enough lunches.

Please RVSP by 13 January 2012.

We look forward to seeing you there!

When you take on new volunteers it is important that they inform their own car insurance company that their employment status has changed.
Most insurers require notification of any volunteer work, even if the nature of the volunteer work does not involve the use of the volunteers’ car.
A few insurers may charge extra for policies with volunteer work included, however you can view a list of insurers and volunteer policy information on the Association of British Insurers website.

We were delighted that The Mayor, Councillor Irene Chamberlain was able to officially open the volunteer centre at Chelmsley Wood on Wednesday 30 November. She was joined by over 20 representatives of the various groups and organisations that are working together to ensure the successful development of this exciting new project.

The Chelmsley Wood Volunteer Centre is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 1pm for drop-in enquiries as well as appointments for anyone wanting to find a volunteering opportunity.

Organisations wishing to promote their volunteering opportunities are also encouraged to contact the centre.

Contact the Chelmsley Wood Volunteer Centre

Chelmsley Wood Volunteer Centre
Solihull Connect Office
West Mall
Bluebell Centre
Chelmsley Wood
B37 5TN
(Near to Asda and library)

Tel: 0121 704 6789
Email: volunteering@svcuk.org

Back in October you completed a survey about the support services you needed and that information is has already been used to help us make a bid for funding from the Cabinet Office’s Transforming Local Infrastructure fund.

According to the survey, many of you are looking for support in things like business planning, forging links with the private sector, finance, funding advice, governance, HR, PR & marketing and all sorts of training.

We are currently looking at how we can meet these support needs across and within the sector, but there is also support available outside the sector.

Solihull Council and other statutory and private sector organisations are now running ‘Employer Supported Volunteering’ (ESV) schemes. ESV is the term used to describe all forms of volunteering carried out by employees which are supported by their employer (ref: Volunteer England).

The scheme at Solihull Council entitled ‘Sharing our Skills’ allows staff to take up to three days (22 hours) a year, out of their day job, to support our Voluntary and Community Sector.

Solihull Council employees have a wealth of skills, knowledge and experience that they are ready to share with you.  In addition to the areas that came out in the survey, their staff can also offer support in administration, archiving, child welfare, IT, legal, project management, research plus other practical skills like cooking, DIY and listening. 

Initially Solihull Council employees will only be able to offer a maximum of 3 days as part of their working week but some may wish to continue to volunteer with organisations in their own time.

The Volunteer Centre, who is acting as a broker for ESV in the borough, would welcome your short term opportunities for employees looking for volunteering roles in Solihull. Opportunities can be for any duration up to 22 hours, for individuals or groups. These can be completed in one block of time or spread over a number of weeks to suit your needs.

To register your opportunities now, please complete a simple ESV opportunity registration form, which you can download below, and we will do the rest!

 Download the ESV Registration form here

For more information, contact Maureen Shepherd on 0121 711 3148 or email maureen.shepherd@wayc2.org

A new report “Pathways through Participation” has been issued by the Institute for Volunteering Research (IVR). The report looks at why people get involved in their local communities, what makes them stop and how does their involvement change over their lifetime.

The final report and summary report can be found on the Pathways to Participation website.

The IVR is a research and consultancy agency specialising in volunteering.  It is an initiative of Volunteering England in partnership with Birbeck, University of London and  Their latest e-newsletter is now available.

Volunteering England, a national charity that supports volunteering involving organisations,has issued their first quarterly e-newsletter with information about their activities and developments.

Keep in touch with their news, updates and training opportunities.

The 2011  Queens Award for Voluntary Service have recently been announced with a number being awarded to organisations in the West Midlands.

2012 is the 10^th anniversary of the Award, The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, as well as the Olympics, so interest in volunteering will be at its highest.

If you know of a group that may be deserving of an award in 2012, nominations are now being taken.

For information about this year’s winners and how to  nominate a group for next year please visit:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/UKgovernment/Honoursawardsandmedals/TheQueensAwardforVoluntaryService/index.htm

Let’s make 2012 the year Solihull voluntary groups and volunteers get the national recognition they deserve!

A new volunteer centre is now  open in Chelmsley Wood

Volunteers are needed to help provide information and support to members of the public seeking volunteering opportunities.

Voluntary Advisers will provide direct face to face services to enquirers and need to be able to offer at least 4 hours a week.

This role requires good communication skills as well as being able to use a computer.

Training will be provided and travel expenses will be paid.

For more information please contact Maureen Shepherd on 0121 711 3148, e-mail volunteering@svcuk.org or visit www.do-it.org.uk

SUSTAiN, in partnership with Warwickshire Association of Youth Clubs (WAYC), are delighted to have secured funding to open two new Volunteer Centres.

The first centre will be open in Chelmsley Wood town centre in the summer with a second office in Solihull town centre in the autumn. Offering information and advice on a wide range of volunteering opportunities, advisers will be available at the new offices as well as by telephone and e-mail.

Anyone interested in volunteering as a Volunteer Centre Adviser or any organisation wishing to advertise their volunteering opportunities on our database are invited to contact Maureen Shepherd, Volunteer Centre Manager. Maureen can be contacted  by phone on 07919 577475 or by e-mail maureen.shepherd@wayc2.org.

How many times have you come across small gestures of generosity, the help and support that changed somebody’s life? We all experience and know about it. The nice neighbour who holds our spare keys in case we get locked out, the person on the bus or in the queue who starts an encouraging conversation on a bad day, the many nice smiles strangers give us, the neighbour who takes our parcels in when we are at work.

Come and visit us at http://volunteeringinsolihull.blogspot.com/ and add your stories of small acts of kindness that have made all the difference.