BROKERAGE

The Volunteer Centre can advertise your volunteer opportunities and refer people who express and interest in them to you. This service is available to organisations within the community, voluntary, public and private sector.

What we do…

• Advertise your opportunities on the national volunteering website: www.do-it.org.uk (with your permission)

• Promote your volunteer roles to the general public through various mechanisms such as:

• Volunteer Fairs – we will advertise your opportunities to people who attend Fairs at local colleges and in the community. Some are organised by us and others by partner organisations.

• One to one interviews – people drop in to see us or ring to make an appointment or are referred to us by places like the Job Centre to find out how to get involved in volunteering. Sometimes they have no idea of what they want to do and need our help to find out what is available; other times they are very specific and have a clear idea of what they would like to get involved in.

We use an interview process that allows us to find out what the individual wants to get out of volunteering, such as careers development, socialising, rebuilding confidence, study support etc; what they enjoy doing, such as working with people or using practical skills; and what they are good at, such as working with numbers, communicating with people, being creative etc.

• Social Networking – We have a Facebook page where we can promote your volunteering roles and training opportunities. This is great for people who use this method of communication as people who sign up can find out about new volunteer roles as soon as they become available.

• Other – we promote volunteering in the local press through the VANL Community Page every Thursday; posters in the office window, on notice boards around the community and leaflets in local venues.

• Employer supported volunteering – we can tell local employers about your volunteering needs. Many take their corporate social responsibility role very seriously and do what they can to support the community in various ones. This includes volunteering. Ask us for more information about this type of volunteering.

• Private sector brokerage – we can help your company link with organisations that help you to fulfil your corporate social responsibilities, and provide staff members with personal and professional development opportunities at the same time. Perhaps you are interested in virtual volunteering opportunities for your team such as providing a telephone IT helpline to small community groups; or providing business mentor support to groups that need a business plan for funding bids. Your staff could develop team working and project management skills through a community clean-up operation.

What we don’t do…

There is a misconception that Volunteer Centres have large groups of people just sat there waiting to volunteer. Whilst people who express an interest in volunteering register with us and often keep in touch, they have usually been placed with an organisation and are getting on with their volunteering role. If you need volunteers we will advertise for you, undertake preliminary checks through registration forms, and refer those who we feel are most suited to advertised roles directly to you.

Sometimes opportunities are popular and you get lots of volunteer applications; sometimes it takes a while and people apply in ‘dribs and drabs’ over a period of time. Sometimes opportunities do not appeal to people and you get no applications at all. We do our very best to make sure your opportunities are promoted as widely as possible and that appropriate people are referred for your consideration.