November 2013

CAN I VOLUNTEER?Volunteering is when you give time to help someone else or a cause you care about, simply because you want to and without expecting a payment. In East Belfast volunteers are making an important contribution to community life. Lots of people engaged in voluntary activity may not necessarily think of themselves as volunteers. They may see themselves as ‘just helping out’ or ‘lending a hand’.

There are many benefits to volunteering and anyone can give as much time as they want. Finding the right volunteering opportunity can be a bit daunting – there are so many to choose from! Why not let EBCDA’s Volunteer Project help you out. It couldn’t be easier! Contact Katy Gaston, Volunteer Development Coordinator at EBCDA at the details on the back page.

You will be taken through filling in an EBCDA Volunteer Registration Form, shown the volunteering opportunities that could be for you and helped through the decision of what to go for.

In the meantime, why not look through the opportunities in this newsletter, something might just catch your eye…

VOLU

NTEE

R NE

WS

Volunteering, why not get involved?

East Belfast Independent Advice CentreTrain for free and help your local community with East Belfast Independent Advice

Centre (EBIAC). Are you finding it hard to gain employment? Would you like to

improve your confidence by gaining qualifications and work experience? Would

you like to be able to do this and help your local community in a highly supportive

environment? EBIAC provides free, independent and confidential advice on a

range of issues including welfare benefits, tax credits, employment, housing,

consumer, debt, etc. and is seeking to recruit volunteers for its Community

Advocacy Skills Training project. As a volunteer you will have the opportunity to not only gain recognised

qualifications in advice work but also gain essential work experience while volunteering in the centre. This is an

excellent opportunity to train in a challenging and rewarding role. Many of EBIAC’s volunteers have gained paid

employment as a result of the training provided. In order to facilitate learning it is recommended that your

commitment should not be less than two days per week, which can be spread over 4 days per week. EBIAC is

also looking for a volunteer receptionist. You need to be calm when working under pressure, have excellent

communication skills and be willing to use your own initiative to run the busy reception at the advice centre.

EBIAC offer out of pocket expenses which include travel and a lunch expense. They also offer child care

expenses. Training and support is offered.

Youth InitiativesYouth Initiatives (YI) has a volunteer opportunity working with 15-18 year olds on Thursday evenings, from

7pm-11pm. The Link-d programme is a centre based programme for young people from East Belfast and

it aims to help them ‘Belong, Grow and Lead’. The role would involve attending the team meeting, set-up, tidying

up and team evaluation, connecting and building relationship with the young people, leading games, facilitating

groups etc. YI are looking for local people to volunteer on this programme. The programme does have

faith based content and YI would ask that the volunteer would be willing to work within this set-up.

Macmillan Cancer SupportOne in three of us will get cancer and it’s the toughest thing most of us will ever face. If you’ve been diagnosed

with cancer, or a loved one has, you’ll want a team of people in your corner supporting you every step of the way.

Macmillan Cancer Support provide practical, medical and financial support and push for better cancer care. The

number of people with cancer is growing every day. Macmillan want to reach and improve the lives of every one

of those people. There are two volunteer roles available in East Belfast; Community Helper – assist people

affected by cancer with practical tasks at home like ironing, light housework and shopping. Lead Volunteer – with

the support of a team, co-ordinate Macmillan Community Helpers in East Belfast by completing initial visits,

matching people affected by cancer with suitable volunteers and supporting the relationship. Both roles will make

a real difference in ensuring no one in East Belfast faces cancer alone.

Homestart East BelfastHomestart East Belfast (HSEB) are looking for home visiting volunteers to befriend and support families going

through difficulties. We provide training and expenses are paid. New training programme starting in January.

HSEB are also looking for volunteers to help in their children only charity shop between the hours of 10.00am and

3.30pm.

RNIBRNIB have three volunteering opportunities in East Belfast; trainers and supporters for their ipad training project,

technology support co-ordinator to deal with customer call outs for help with IT issues and fundraising group

members or helpers.

How could you make a difference for these organisations and the people they

serve?

VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES

Street By StreetStreet by Street is a unique and innovative grassroots community safety initiative aimed at tackling anti-

community and anti-social activity on a street by street basis in East Belfast; currently working in the Woodstock,

Bloomfield and Ballymacarrett districts. Launched four years ago and based at Alternatives Restorative Justice,

the project is a partnership between key community groups and statutory agencies such as Neighbourhood

Police and Belfast City Council community safety officers. In groups of three to four, volunteers go onto the

streets to engage with young people and residents to challenge any community safety concerns such as

neighbourhood disputes or youths causing annoyance. Any serious issues are followed up by the relevant

community organisations or statutory agencies and liaising with families, schools and the community as

appropriate. Volunteers are adequately trained to carry out this role.

Engage With Age Hope ProjectThe HOPE project aims to reach out to less active individuals over 55 years old who may be at risk of social

isolation, helping them to get out and about more. There are four volunteering opportunities available; Regular

Volunteers who support HOPE activities in the hubs throughout Belfast. Hub volunteers support new members

and help to set up the activity, as well as serving refreshments. Occasional Volunteers who accompany outings

and accompany individuals who need more support, or who are new to the group. Support Volunteers who

provide one-to-one support to an individual who has been referred to the project but may be reluctant to engage

in activities and outings. This volunteer will visit the individual in their home and build up a relationship, then

accompany him/her to HOPE activities once they feel able to. This support can continue as long as the individual

requires it. Lead Volunteers are a small number of volunteers who provide an independent evaluation role,

speaking to participants during hub activities and outings to gather feedback on the service. All volunteers are

supported by the Volunteer Co-ordinator and can receive training

and any out-of-pocket expenses incurred during their volunteering.

The DockThe Dock is part of bringing life to the Titanic Quarter. It is

supported by the main denominations to build community in this

new and exciting part of Belfast. The Dock Cafe is Belfast's first

"Honesty Box" pop up cafe that provides a social, spiritual and

shared space as a community living room for the residents,

students, professionals, tourists, visitors; all the different people

that make up the Titanic Quarter. It is a place for building

community and, of course, community happens best over a cuppa!

The volunteers keep the café running Monday to Friday 11am to

7pm and Saturday 11am to 5pm. Dock volunteers are happy,

honest and helpful people who don’t mind getting stuck in to helping the Dock Café work. You’ll get the

enjoyment of meeting a variety of new people, the chance to gain new skills and experiences and a huge sense of

satisfaction in knowing you are helping others.

East Belfast MissionEast Belfast Mission (EBM) have various volunteering opportunities available. Bright Sparks are currently looking

for volunteers to assist in the delivery of efficient, quality childcare services. No specific skills are required but it

would be helpful if you have childcare experience. They would like volunteers to be involved on Christmas Eve

and Christmas Day from 10-2pm to help prepare and cook the Christmas Dinner for Hosford, their homeless

hostel. EBM has practical opportunities too; Refurb is a dedicated workshop for the refurbishment and restyling of

second-hand furniture, the Rekindle project turns waste wood into kindling and Recycle is a bicycle repair

workshop where volunteers help repair and restore bicycles before they are sold on through the 9 restore charity

shops. The Rebeebies charity shops in Park Centre and Connswater and the Restore charity shop in Antrim all are

looking for more volunteers to become part of their teams.

Men’s Clinic VolunteersBelfast Health and Social Care Trust, in partnership with East Belfast Community

Development Agency, East Belfast Partnership and the Wise Men of the East

Network, support a men’s evening clinic. Volunteers help to run this much

needed service alongside district nurses. The Men’s Clinic is aimed at men aged

35 to 85 who have not had contact with their GP in the past 24 months. It aims

to improve the health outcomes for men living primarily in East Belfast by

offering a screening service to men which is accessible and tailored to their

needs with the intent to pick up problems much earlier and refer them on to appropriate help and support. The

service offers men a 30 minute plus health assessment check-up for their blood pressure, weight, blood sugar

check, cholesterol check and an opportunity to discuss other general health issues. The results of these tests are

available to GPs and the men are advised with information should a problem be identified. Volunteers should be

willing to commit to one evening a fortnight, and should be male and over 35 years old.

EBCDA Event VolunteersEvents Volunteers help to deliver a variety of different and exciting events with EBCDA. Themes include health

promotion, physical activity, good relations, suicide prevention and other community development areas.

What’s involved - helping to prepare for the event and packing away afterwards, meeting, greeting and directing

members of the public who attend the event, helping out with activities, being involved in feedback and evaluation.

So if you have a friendly and enthusiastic manner, are approachable, good with the public and generally happy to

muck in where needed, this opportunity could be for you.

EBCDA works with several other organisations to promote suicide prevention in East Belfast. Recently they have held

several events to raise awareness among the general public of the support available to those at risk of suicide and

simple steps we can all take to improve our mental and emotional wellbeing. By holding these events in busy

shopping centres we can make contact with people who may otherwise not be aware of services or receive the

support that they need. EBCDA also hope that by bringing the issue of mental wellbeing and suicide prevention in to

the open we can reduce the stigma which often prevents people from getting help. In the future EBCDA would like to

run similar events in supermarkets and shopping centres across East Belfast on a monthly basis and are looking for

volunteers to get involved in helping deliver this important information to the public. Events are likely to take place

over the weekend and volunteers can attend for between 2 and 4 hours. Training in suicide awareness will be

available to volunteers.

EBCDA VOLUNTEERING

Register your interest

Registering with EBCDA’s Volunteer

Project will keep you informed of

volunteering opportunities and

training as well as giving you support

and guidance through the application

process and supporting you in your

volunteering role. If you want to know

more about any of the opportunities

mentioned contact Katy for more

details or visit www.ebcda.org

East Belfast Community Development Agency is a Company limited by

Guarantee, registered in Northern Ireland. Registration Number NI 31089

The Company has Inland Revenue Approved Charitable Status.

Registration Number XR18490

Katy Gaston

Volunteer Development Coordinator

East Belfast Community

Development Agency

East Belfast Network Centre

55 Templemore Avenue

Belfast BT5 4FP

katy@ebcda.org

028 9045 1512

Have a go at volunteering in East

Belfast with one of these organisations. Details of

how to register your interest are at the

bottom of the page.