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Limavady Volunteer Centre

Limavady Volunteer Centre is one of LCDI’s longest running projects.  In its infancy, LCDI employed workers on an Action for Community Employment scheme for a year and many were reluctant to leave when their time was up.  Such was their passion for community involvement!  The Volunteer Centre grew out of the need to accommodate the involvement of volunteers in the local community and it has been doing that ever since.

Volunteering is defined rather dully as:

“the commitment of time and energy for the benefit of society and community, the environment or individuals outside one’s immediate family.  It is undertaken freely and by choice, without concern for financial gain”

At the Volunteer Centre we see volunteering as a great way of getting involved in the local community, of meeting new people, and gaining valuable experience and skills.  We also see it as a powerful force for change.  Volunteering can potentially give everyone in society (regardless of class, ability, colour or creed) the opportunity to give, to feel valued, and to take part. Our mission is to turn this potential into a reality.

Our work is two-fold, on one hand we promote and encourage people to volunteer while on the other we work with organisations to help them develop opportunities and encourage good management of volunteers.  We make it easy for people to volunteer by matching people to opportunities.

Why volunteer?

If you are looking for a job, you stand a much better chance of getting one if you are doing voluntary work.  Employers always take volunteering into account.

• It shows initiative

• You gain experience, learn new skills and can access training

• You make useful contacts and can prove your ability

• You significantly improve your chances of getting a funded post within the voluntary sector

If you are employed, there is no reason why you can’t reap the same benefits from doing voluntary work as those who are not!

• You can still get the good feeling that comes from helping someone else

• Meet different people

• Learn different skills

• Change career direction

If you are retired

• Your skills and experiences don’t go to waste; you can pass them on to others at your own pace

• You can keep in touch with your community

• You can try something new

If you are at a loose end for whatever reason, doing voluntary work

• can be a means of meeting new people

• Is good for your self esteem,

• Builds confidence

• Can help you feel useful

Even people who are unfit for paid work can do voluntary work.  The Volunteer Centre will advise you about volunteering while claiming benefits.  However it is very unlikely that benefits will be affected.

What can volunteers do?

Here are some examples of the kind of things volunteers do.  But remember that volunteering is individual – don’t be limited by what is on this list, be motivated by what interests you.

How can you become a volunteer?

1. You can contact the Volunteer Centre

There are Volunteer Centres located throughout Northern Ireland and are well placed to help you into volunteering.  They will

have information on local volunteering opportunities
talk to you about what you want to do and what is available
arrange for you to meet with organisations
offer you support throughout your volunteer placement.

2. You can also make direct contact with an organisation.  If you know the name of the organisation you would like to volunteer with., simply give them a call.

3. You can visit www.volunteernow.co.uk the Volunteer Centres Northern Ireland database of volunteering opportunities.  This database is currently experiencing teething problems but can give some indication of the types of opportunities available in your area.

As an organisation why would you involve volunteers?

• Obviously you get an extra pair of hands (or two)!

• Time and energy is given freely – volunteers can be very motivated

• You can increase the diversity of you staff team, paid workers are more likely to come from a selective group i.e. certain age, educational background etc

• The most vulnerable groups of people, those most dependant on volunteers appreciate the attention of an unpaid worker

How can the Volunteer Centre help your organisation?

• By helping in all aspects of developing a volunteer programme including planning, developing meaningful roles, recruiting and selecting and managing and supporting volunteers

• Promoting your volunteering opportunities through the Centre and on the Northern Ireland website

• By finding and matching volunteers with specific skills and interests with opportunities available in your organisation

• By offering informal and accredited training on Child Protection Awareness, Using AccessNI, Managing Volunteers

• By enabling you to become a member of a Volunteer Manager’s Forum

• By enabling you to access Small Grants for Volunteering