Make a difference
Community Lives Matter could not function without volunteers. We are not a large, professional charity with paid staff for everything we do. On the contrary, we encourage local people to engage with the needs that we have around us and serve as volunteers, investing in our own community.
Clearly, the work of our volunteers benefits those who receive our services. Whether the dozens who are served a fantastic three-course meal at our luncheon club, lonely people who receive the opportunity to chat with others and make new friends, or those caring for people with dementia who enjoy a cuppa and a good old natter with others while those they care for play indoor bowls – all of this is the result of volunteers choosing to support them.
But helping in this way does wonders for the volunteers themselves too! The benefits are well documented – did you know, for example, that those who volunteer have a lower mortality rate than those who do not?! Here are a few other benefits that volunteers experience:
- It connects you with others – in our digitally connected world, it is surprising how many still feel lonely. Most volunteers make new friends, gain new social skills and increase in self-confidence through what they do.
- It gives you valuable experience and help you develop skills that will be useful both in personal and professional life; many volunteers find that their careers are enhanced through their voluntary work, and for those starting out, volunteer work looks great on a CV!
- It’s good for mind and body – we live in a stressful age but stepping out of “ordinary life” and serving others has a positive impact on our mental and emotional wellbeing. It helps manage stress and anxiety, combats depression, and gives you a sense of purpose – all of which contribute to overall physical health too. It’s a win-win!
- It’s fun! Yes, it can be challenging at times, but having meaningful rewarding activities beyond your work or home life can motivate and inspire you for the rest of life too.
Volunteering England defines volunteering as: “Any activity that involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the environment or someone (individuals or groups) other than, or in addition to, close relatives‟.
“But I don’t know if I have the right skills…” Whilst you may need or want to learn some new skills, most of our opportunities are more about the right attitude than what you can do. New skills can be learned – and we look to provide training where this is needed for any particular role. But the most valuable things a volunteer can bring are compassion for those we work with, a willingness to serve wherever needed and bucketfuls of enthusiasm!
Volunteer opportunities
These are some of the opportunities for volunteers at Community Lives Matter:
- Luncheon club helpers – from waiting on to washing up, there are many opportunities to be part of the great team that serves up 80+ meals every week
- After School Activity support – a new activity at a local primary school supporting families
- Adult Activity Afternoon support – a new afternoon programme to tackle loneliness and provide a fun environment for adults to make new friends and come together to play games and do craft activities.
- Support for people with dementia – we have a number of activities that help people with dementia stay active and social, whilst also giving a break or support to their carers. Weekly sessions of indoor bowls and table tennis, and our monthly dementia café, all need support.
- Tackling loneliness – half a million older people go 5 or 6 days a week without seeing or speaking to anyone, and the number of over-50s experiencing loneliness is likely to pass 2 million in the next 5 years[1]. You can’t solve this for the millions, but you could make a difference in the life of a couple of individuals…we have introduced NEW opportunities for people to come together to take part in fun activities and make new friends, and your support in providing this could make all the difference!
- Fundraisers – people who engage with donors and manage campaigns to help raise the finance needed to keep our work going
- Social media stars – could you support us to manage our Facebook account? Instagram? It’s easy to do from wherever you are, and vital in the world we live in today
If you are interested in finding out more about becoming a volunteer or would like to apply for a role, please get in touch via our contact page and we will be in touch – we look forward to meeting you!