VOLUNTEER CORNER
The Civil Service Retirement Fellowship provide friendship and support.
They offer a range of services that include befriending schemes to help combat loneliness in later life, local community groups and offer information, advice and signposting.
They are looking for Volunteer Befrienders to visit a retired Civil Servant in their home, to provide company to people who may be feeling lonely and isolated.
Training provided and expenses paid for.
The Special Educational Needs and Disability Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) in Wokingham is a statutory service which is run at ‘arm’s length’ from the Special Educational Needs decision makers and provides free, confidential, impartial advice, guidance and support to parents of children and young people up to the age of 25 with special educational needs and disabilities.
Parents/young people with initial concerns about their child’s/their education through to those with and Education, Health and Care Plan or Statement. SENDIASS are looking for Parent Support Volunteers.
Tasks may include: supporting a parent or young person at a meeting with professionals, helping a parent to fill in their annual review paperwork and attending parent group meetings and explain how SENDIASS can help.
Wokingham United Charities run the Westende almshouses which are flats in central Wokingham.
The 27 flats are home to local, mainly elderly people, who have been in either financial or social need.
They are looking for a volunteer to help manage their building work. They have reliable contractors for plumbing, heating, electrical and building work, but they need briefing, and their work checked on completion.
There is a resident warden who is available for regular supervision of contractors, but the person taking this role will inevitably have to be available sometimes during working hours.
They are a small and friendly team that meet about six times a year, attend occasional coffee mornings with the residents and report to trustees on all significant items.
They do quite a lot by email.
The role would suit someone that has experience of project management and/or building work.
Their Grants Committee are also looking for people with an interest in tackling disadvantage in the local community and help assess applications for organisational grants through their “Relief in Need” Fund.
A good local knowledge is needed and the group meets roughly six times a year, although there a lot of email communications in between.
Above are just a few roles we currently have on our books, we have over 150 different roles to choose from so there is something for everyone!
Please contact us at The Wokingham Volunteer Centre for more information. Call: 0118 977 0749, email volunteer@wok-vol.org.uk or visit our website www.volunteercentrewokingham.org.uk to find out more.