As we turn a new chapter into 2024 and look ahead to what the New Year will bring, why not let us help inspire you to make those changes you’ve perhaps been contemplating throughout the dark (and wet) winter months. Let us enthuse you to take those steps, small or large, towards making a positive change, towards learning new skills, towards becoming more active and connecting with your community. We currently live in tough times, so this is an ideal time to turn your own lights and heating off in order to go and help others.
But volunteering is about much more than just helping people or supporting worthy causes; it’s also about doing things you enjoy, meeting different people, increasing your skills – and having fun! Research shows that, if you make a resolution which has a positive effect, you’re far more likely to stick to it. Deciding to volunteer could be the best New Year’s resolution you’ve ever made.
When asked what people found most rewarding about volunteering they said: ‘seeing others achieve something’ and ‘knowing that someone’s life has been made better’.
So, whether you’re looking for a new project, big or small, long-term or one-off, have a look below at some of the hundreds of roles in your local area that are waiting to inspire you. Whatever age you are, there is probably a volunteering opportunity out there for you!
Welcome to 2024: your year to volunteer!
Get Active
How many of us make a New Year’s resolution to get a bit fitter or be more active? Why not start here by combining it with volunteering too. What better motivation to get moving than helping out at a local club or group, meeting up with others is also a great motivator for sticking to those New Year goals. Why not have a look to see what you might enjoy?
Healthy walks take place across the New Forest, Fareham and Winchester on a regular basis, some weekly, some monthly. They are run by volunteer Walk Leaders who lead the walk and act as back markers for the group, plan routes and ensure all walkers are catered for.
Volunteers have the opportunity to attend a free half-day training course to become a qualified Walk Leader and receive regular support form the Healthy Walks Coordinator. This is a great opportunity to get out and enjoy your local area, as well as to help others to get walking and improve their fitness.
Do you enjoy spending time in the great outdoors and want to share that enthusiasm with all those who visit Fairthorne Manor? They would love you to get involved in their range of programmes supporting the delivery of activities, ranging from ecology sessions in our water environment through to high ropes and water activities. All activities are delivered by appropriately qualified staff, and you can help this run smoothly by helping to organise groups, providing encouragement to participants and help out where requested by instructors.
Street Reach run a drop-in football project on Friday evenings from 5.45pm-7.15pm. They are looking for volunteers who are enthusiastic about football and can help with the session. Previous experience of working with young people or football coaching would be desirable but is not essential.
Duke of Edinburgh Trainers and Expedition Leaders
Do you get a buzz out of helping young people improve themselves? Do you enjoy the outdoors? Can you inspire young people at each stage of their DofE adventure? DofE Awards are looking for volunteers to help young people aged between 14 and 25 undertake their Duke Of Edinburgh Award. Alongside inspiring young people to choose their options within the programme, Leaders keep a close eye on the participants’ progress, assist with any issues through regular meetings (normally once a week during term time, often evenings) and help them stay on track to complete their DofE programme.
Learn a new skill
Do you ever wonder what it would be like to learn a new skill, something you’ve maybe wanted to do for a while but not had the opportunity? Perhaps there’s a hobby or activity you used to be involved in but it’s fallen by the wayside. Well, why not dust off those skills and bring them back to life through volunteering or, help out in a group where you’ll be learning something new alongside helping others? Whatever your skill, we’re confident there’s a volunteering role out there for which it would be perfect.
CPRE are looking to build a small team of more volunteers to join their Hedgerow Heroes project in Titchfield, South-West Fareham. The project hopes to enhance the quality of the landscape, grow local community engagement, and raise awareness of the importance of hedgerows for wildlife, climate and sustainable farming.
As part of the volunteer team, you will carry out a range of practical tasks, including hedge-planting, hedge-laying, assessing the quality and health
of existing hedgerow, and a range of surveying to help ascertain the current wildlife value of the existing hedges. You will gain practical experience , as well as developing your knowledge of the humble hedgerow and all it has to offer. A keen interest in the countryside is needed, as well as a desire to develop your skills in conservation.
Solent Rescue Independent Lifeboat are looking for lifeboat crew to provide coverage from Easter to September at Lepe Country Park in Exbury, New Forest. Solent Rescue is made up totally by volunteers from all walks of life and ages. They are always looking out for both shore and boat crew throughout the season. They are operational at weekends from Easter through to September, bank holidays and 24hrs during the festival of Cowes week.
Their boat crew are trained in safety at sea, power boat handling, first aid, and all activities required to keep a lifeboat operational and lookout manned; however, don’t worry, prior knowledge of seamanship is not essential as excellent training is offered. From the day you join the crew, you will be able to help in the operation of the boat & shore operations.
Fareshare continue to seek volunteers in their warehouse to sort the food they receive from their food partners and pick daily orders for charities. It’s a great way to keep fit and all you need is a sturdy pair of hands! You will be working as part of a team to manually sort and store large deliveries of surplus food, helping to assemble the daily deliveries of food for local charities and community groups.
You will be part of a team of likeminded people, where you can gain warehouse management skills, such as a Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene certificate and forklift training. Be at the forefront of stopping good food from going to waste, and you will have reasonable travel expenses and a free lunch!
The Crafty Makery CIC welcome enthusiastic people to join their small and friendly team at their Community Crafting Hub located in Central Fareham. They offer an opportunity to use arts and crafts as a way to bring people together. Their Crafting Hub offers a vast array of activities, including knitting, sewing, paper crafts and ceramics to suit people of all ages.
They would welcome friendly and reliable people willing to engage with all members of the community who make up their customer base. Willingness and enthusiasm to learn and meet new people are more important to us than crafting experience, as they are willing to train and nurture.
Inspire Others
HYP support young adults with physical and/or mild – moderate learning disabilities aged 13-25 years. There are weekly activities, usually held on a Saturday, with a programme of sessions that their young people design empowering them to make choices and gain new experiences. In doing so, they hope to develop the independence and social skills that they believe are so vital.
Their sessions range from fun leisure activities, like laser quest and a Subway meal; skill-based sessions, such as baking & cooking; historical visits & naval tours; and big experiences: indoor skydiving, Portsmouth Summer Show and Star Wars Celebration are recent examples.
The White House (Curdridge) Ltd. are looking for Dementia Companions to join their team, spend quality time with their residents offering them activities both individually and as a group. They have a pub to enjoy a drink (non-alcoholic) and some fun pub games, they have beautiful grounds to walk around and enjoy the animals, they have a lovely gardening area so green fingers are welcome. Many of the residents enjoy outdoor activities, for example football and tennis, along with many other outdoor games. Some residents would prefer a sit down with a cup of tea and a chat. They have many activities, including reminiscence, dementia friendly technology and dementia friendly games.
Education Volunteer (Presenter)
If you are comfortable with public speaking or would like to improve your public speaking skills and being around young people, then Anthony Nolan are looking for people who are positive about young people and believe that they can make a difference. Education volunteers deliver inspiring presentations to young people aged 16+ in a variety of settings from schools and sixth forms to colleges and youth groups (either in person or online). These presentations inspire students by showing them that they have the potential to help save a life.
Their presentations aren’t a hard sell, but they educate all young people about stem cell, blood and organ donation and encourage them to make an informed decision about donation based on facts, not myths! They provide comprehensive training, so you can be confident delivering inspirational presentations. They’ll also make sure you attend events with experienced staff or volunteers. Education volunteer presenters make sure potential lifesavers know the facts about donation by delivering their education programme, The Hero Project.
High quality careers education that is responsive to skills needs is crucial to the future success of both young people and employers. Enterprise M3 Careers Hub are therefore seeking volunteers to partner with local secondary schools or colleges in Hampshire as Enterprise Advisers, using your skills, business experience and networks to help develop a strong careers programme.
This is initially a one year voluntary position (taking up a few hours per month) where you will be: supporting the school or college’s senior leadership team strategically to develop and evaluate their careers plan; providing a valuable employer’s perspective on how a school or college can embed labour market information and opportunities into the careers programme; and engaging with local businesses and employers in your network to put a wide variety of careers opportunities at the heart of young people’s education. You’ll just need a business background, and excellent communication and networking skills.
Get to know your community
Did you know we work with over 700 charities and non-profit organisations across Hampshire? That’s great news for volunteers as it means we have hundreds of interesting, diverse and absorbing roles from specialist involvement to one off events. What better way to explore your community than by signing up to volunteer with some of the amazing services across the county.
Conservation, Gardening and Outdoors
Various roles, including: experienced and amateur Gardeners, Activity Helpers, Rangers and Maintenance Volunteers.
Hammersley Homes launched a Community Visiting Home Support Service for people who suffer from enduring mental illness, and they are looking for volunteers willing to visit these vulnerable people in their homes, to enrich their lives with companionship and support, to help them live their best life.
As the name suggests, a Community Visitor has a friendly disposition and supports the beneficiary with company, tactful guidance, presenting options for the person to make informed choices and encourage: Independence; Self care; Happiness and contentment; Social contact and integration where possible; Guidance and referrals for other support when desired/required.
Volunteer Police Cadets (VPC), supported by Hampshire Constabulary, has been designed as a youth engagement and diversionary programme. The scheme aims to promote a practical understanding of policing among all young people and encourage the spirit of adventure and good citizenship through volunteering amongst the community.
This is a varied volunteer role offering personal development as well as the opportunity to really enhance and change a young person’s life for the better; volunteers will be required to assist the Unit Leader in the delivery of the scheme. There are 14 units around Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Minstead Trust are always looking for friendly and enthusiastic volunteers to help support their fundraising efforts and be a positive ambassador for them. Depending on your time, skills and interests, there are a number of different ways you can get involved.
Fundraising is exciting, energetic and lots of fun and they warmly welcome any new ideas and opportunities. Just let them know what your interests are and how you’d like to get involved and they’ll support you to support them every step of the way!
Don’t let 2024 drive you to distraction. Our most requested volunteer role is for drivers, from cars to minibuses, here are just a few of the Driving Opportunities near you.
Finally, if you’re still undecided about what you’d like to get involved with, why not look at things a bit differently by checking out our roles that enable you to work from home or, for a taste of volunteering, try our events and one off link to see what’s happening near you.
Working From Home – volunteer from your living room or just outside your front door.
Events and One Off Volunteering – help by volunteering short-term or to support special events.
For even more inspiration and other volunteering roles, just visit our website. Check it out, sign up, sit back and watch new things start to happen.
~ Happy New Year from Jag and Olivia ~
