Volunteering over Christmas??

NumboJumbo

Hi


I want to volunteer and do something worthwhile over Christmas. I'm just wondering what opportunities there might be out there for me to pursue. I'm looking to volunteer my time on Christmas and Boxing Day and I live in Cardiff.


BTW, don't bother telling me about helping the Samaritans out. I've contacted them twice over the past two years and each time they just don't bother to reply to my offer. But, any other opportunities that you're aware of will be very gratefully received.


Mike

MushyPeas

This is good site to find out about voluneering opportunities:

http://www.do-it.org.uk/

I know the Samaritans take people onto train them, rather than just help for a short period of time.

NumboJumbo

Thanks for the info. I was already aware of the site and was really looking for information on any volunteeruing opportunity that other people had done in past Christmasses to hopefully give me an idea of what's out there, eg. soup kitchens, visiting hospitals etc.

I know the site gives out volunteering opportunities but it doesn't seem to focus in on seasonal volunteering. BTW, I don't find the site that useful anyway. A search for volunteering opportunities in Cardiff reveals 274 places, whilst a search in volunteering-wales.net website for Cardiff reveals 784 places - a bit of a difference!! Of course, one organisation is more local than the other, which would probably explain the difference in numbers.

BTW, having read my post again, I'm not sure why I wrote the Samaritans as it should have read the Salvation Army. I have contacted them a few times with a view to helping them in their food shelters, but to no avail - they simply just don't seem to be interested.

Savvy_Sue

You might find that you've left it a bit late to volunteer, and if you've contacted them at a similar time in the past that might be why the SA haven't replied - although it would have been polite to do so, these things can sometimes slip through. (I don't have any connection with the SA BTW but I do work for a project which uses volunteers all year round!)

I've just looked at the Bristol Caring at Christmas site, and they require volunteers to attend training. There's also an application process which includes taking up references. Some organisations would also want to do a CRB check and that can take a few weeks.

If you can't find the Council for Voluntary Service in Cardiff (and I can't with a quick google, it may be called something else) then your local library might be able to help you find local services looking for volunteers. Other than that, asking if any local churches organise anything might be worthwhile.

I'm a bit frustrated because someone asked a similar question earlier in the year, only I can't find it - it might have disappeared in the recent problems, or it might be on a different board!

Anyway, best of luck! We used to do this when I was a teenager, and it was a lot more fun than a family Christmas.

NumboJumbo

Thanks for the info. That was a useful post for me, as you reminded me about the Cardiff Volunteer Bureau (which I think was the name you were looking for), which I haven't used for a long time, hence my forgetfulness.

I am going to contact them to see if they have any Christmas opportunities available. BTW, I already have had a CRB check done on me through my volunteering activities elsewhere in Cardiff.

Mike

Horace

Check out your local childrens' hospital as they often have a radio station called Radio Lollipop. Radio Lollipop like folks who volunteer to help out - I have volunteered my time in the past - usually visiting kids on the wards to get their requests.

The Salvation Army are also good as they like volunteers to man their soup kitchens. You could also try the charity Shelter as they look for seasonal volunteers.

Savvy_Sue

NumboJumbo wrote: »

BTW, I already have had a CRB check done on me through my volunteering activities elsewhere in Cardiff.

Glad you've found a way forward. But just to forewarn you that already having one CRB check doesn't mean another won't be needed ... it's the issue of portability! It's done for a specific organisation, they get a copy which is confidential to them, and your copy shouldn't be accepted by another organisation. all sorts of reasons now which I don't have time to give: look at the crb website and search for portability if you need some bedtime reading ...

amethystdove

Hi, try local churches (you don't have to be a churchgoer). Ours is serving Christmas dinner to homeless people on the day.

Angelbaba

Does anyone know where I can volunteer to help homeless people over Christmas? I have seen the Crisis page, but these are all in London. I live in North Hampshire - not far from Reading.

Savvy_Sue

Welcome to the boards Angelbaba.

I've added your question to last year's thread, because I think all the answers are relevant, just substitute Reading for Cardiff etc ...

A quick google found Reading Single Homeless Project: if they don't offer anything over Christmas, they probably know who does!

Hope this works out for you, now is just the right time to start making enquiries!

Iguana

Contact the voluntary care groups in your area; where I live they do Christmas dinner/parties and are very reliant on volunteers to help out.