Access News Archives
The Volunteer Centre has been successful in securing funding for several exciting projects.
Volunteering to Employment
Funded by the European Social Fund, administered by the Heart of England Community Foundation
This 12 month project aims to help unemployed people living in rural North Warwickshire to gain the skills and confidence they need to achieve employment success through volunteering. It will provide one to one support through existing services and will link with existing training and development programmes run by VCNW. The networks, partnerships, knowledge and procedures developed through the life of the project will ensure the Volunteer Centre can continue to support unemployed, rurally isolated people in the future. In particular the project will offer volunteering opportunities within DIY and Gardening task forces specially developed for this initiative.
Go to the events page for an update and more information on VtE
Active Communities NoW
has been funded by the Big Lottery through the Reaching Communities Fund. It aims to strengthen and unite communities through voluntary action. It will do this by developing a befriending scheme to encourage and enable people to get involved in their communities. It will also develop activity groups, in village venues in North Warwickshire, where residents will be able to get involved with a variety of crafts and other activities. The project is particularly designed to support residents of North Warwickshire who would like to get involved in their local community but find it difficult for a variety of reasons.
Promoting Active Communities has been funded by Warwickshire County North Area Council Well-Being Fund to enhance the Active Communties NoW project and ensure it is promoted to as wide an audience as possible across the Borough.
100 Years of Atherstone has been funded for 2 years by the Heritage Lottery Fund. It aims to engage the local community in learning about and celebrating their heritage. It will involve working closely with the Friends of Atherstone Heritage to recruit and train volunteers who will record and catalogue archives, put on displays and exhibitions and create a learning resource for the future. The project will focus on 3 themes: – the changing street scene, local industry and local people of interest.
November: 6th-15th – will see another 100 years Atherstone Exhibition but this time focusing on the history of Local People. This would make a great day out for anyone was born and breed in Atherstone.
A part from the various events & activities throughout the year, Volunteer Centre North Warwickshire received a grant from the ESF Community Grant Scheme administered by the Heart of England Community Foundation. This 12 month project will aim to help unemployed people living in rural North Warwickshire to gain the skills and confidence they need to achieve employment success through volunteering.
We also need new volunteers to get involved with various volunteering opportunities from tree planting to dressing in period costume for our heritage exhibitions. If you’d like to more information on any of our events, activities or volunteering opportunities please get in touch.
Free Workshops
Volunteer Centre North Warwickshire is pushing through these challenging times by offering FREE workshops and courses in an attempt to help people gain confidence, learn new skills and enhance their C.V.
A Taste of Volunteering
Courses supported by Adult Community Learning is free to anyone wanting to partake in some form of volunteering. This course is aimed at new volunteers and will give an overall insight into what volunteering is about, what role would best suit your interests and personality and how to prepare for your first day of volunteering. After a suitable placement has been found the volunteer will receive a certificate and there’s no set dates to take this course as we are will be running them regularly throughout 2009.
Personal Development
We are also running aworkshop starting on the 29th of January 10am until 12pm for 6 weeks. This course will help you to build confidence and self esteem through practicing confidence building exercises in a safe environment.
You’ll look at four assertiveness models to practice appropriate assertiveness skills and explore different aspects of body language by demonstrating positive and negative body images.
You'll also practice general communication skills such as speaking and listening in groups and on a one to one basis according to the needs of the group.
By the end you will have the skills to confidently interact with people in all areas of your life.
Introduction to Befriending
Anyone interested in becoming a Befriender can attend our free in house training workshop entitled an ‘Introduction to Befriending’ on the 4th of February. We are looking for Befrienders to work on a one to one basis with people who need help to support them into volunteering.
Martin Horner, Project Manager, said: “The courses on offer are an excellent way to learn new skills especially if you are looking to go back into work after a period of time off. In March we will start a new project funded by the European Social Fund which will encourage unemployed people to learn new skills. Task forces will be set up in the community to carry out odd jobs such as DIY and gardening work which will enable people to gain new skills. Aside from this volunteers will also have the opportunity to learn new IT skills at the volunteer centre as part of the project.”
Jane White, Centre Manager, said: “We wanted to provide something for everyone and hope that the local community will utilities what’s on offer to them. We have recruited some fantastic volunteers during 2008 and hope to attract hundreds more over the coming months.”
