Challenge Yourself: Volunteer Centre steps into Dragons’ Apprentice den again

The Challenge pairs teams of Year 12 students from schools with local business people. Each team is then matched with a charity or community group and tasked with devising a business plan to turn £100 into £1,000 or more. All profits generated are passed directly to the team’s charity.

We are delighted to have been paired with Cavendish School for a second year running after a team from the school helped raise £1,300 for the Centre the previous year. This year we are supported by our Dragon Anthony Fogden from Handelsbanken, a locally based bank originated in Sweden.

Here are more volunteering opportunities available this week:

The Heather Club – volunteer escorts needed

The Heather Club are looking for transport escorts for their Monday and Wednesday sessions. If you are a caring, fun loving person this could be the opportunity for you. Induction and training will be available. They are particularly seeking female escorts but there is no gender restriction.

Books Beyond Words – book club facilitators wanted

Books Beyond Words is setting up local book clubs in Herts and needs your help to facilitate these clubs as either a Volunteer Facilitator or a Self Advocate (individuals with learning disabilities who wish to work to improve the lives of others with learning disabilities).

The books all tell a story, but they also let the reader tell their own story – the one they see in the pictures.

This can tell you a lot about a person’s inner world and their understanding of situations.

There is plenty to talk about and each story explores feelings and reactions as well as giving information.

All the pictures used in the books are tested by people who find pictures easier than words, to make sure they are easy to understand.

As a Volunteer Facilitator you will be supported by the local Beyond Words Training Coordinator and will be responsible for supporting self advocates to ensure that the participants enjoy being part of the Club.

You will also support the group with book choices and work with the Training Coordinator to advertise the Clubs and find places where book clubs can be held on a monthly basis.

You will work together as volunteer facilitators and self advocates to support people with learning disabilities to access the books through the club, giving time to all members to talk about the books and relate their own experiences.

You will be expected to be at the venue to welcome participants, support people with reading the books and close the event in relation to location requirements. The clubs are expected to run at least once a month and will be on going so you will get to know all participants and self advocates well. Facilitators will be expected to give around 5 hours a month.

As a self advocate you will be supported by the local Training Coordinator and Volunteer Facilitators to work directly with the book club participants. You will support the participants in looking at books and discussing the topics.

For more please contact the Volunteer Centre or visit their Recruitment and Information Day on Tuesday, October 21 at St Mary’s Church Hall in the Old Town from 12.30pm to 2pm.