1. www.derby.ac.uk/careers
Volunteering
Volunteering Newsletter
Issue 4 January 2015
Welcome to the January edition of the Volunteering Newsletter. The start of the
new year and the new academic semester is the perfect time to make a resolution
to develop a skill, find a new interest or get involved in your local community.
There are opportunities from local organisations and national charities in this
newsletter and don’t forget all current students can register for the Futures Award
to gain recognition for the brilliant extra-curricular activity they are involved in.
The best way of keeping up to date with the latest opportunities is on the ‘Derby Uni
Volunteering’ Facebook page or on Twitter @DerbyUniVol. If you can’t find what you’re
looking for, get in touch with us on T: 01332 591316 or E: volunteering@derby.ac.uk
You can subscribe to receive the newsletter electronically each month by emailing
volunteering@derby.ac.uk
Student Volunteering Week 2015
Now in its 14th year, Student Volunteering Week aims to bring together
individuals and organisations across the UK to celebrate the achievements
and impact of student volunteers in their local communities, encouraging and
inspiring more students to volunteer.
During the week, 23rd February to 1st March, there will be lots of activities
happening here to celebrate our student volunteers and give everyone the
opportunity to try volunteering. We’re working with the Students’ Union and they
have lots of exciting plans so stay tuned and we’ll share details in the February
edition of the newsletter as well as on social media – we can’t wait!
You can follow what’s happening across the country on Twitter with #SVW2015 and
find out more at www.studentvolunteeringweek.org.uk
Think Global – a date for
your diary!
If you’re interested in volunteering
or working abroad you won’t
want to miss this event. Think
Global: Work, Study and Volunteer
Overseas Fair is taking place in
the Atrium at Kedleston Road
on Wednesday 4th February
2015, 10am – 2pm. This event is
a fantastic opportunity to speak
to organisations offering jobs,
placements, study and volunteering
abroad.
There’s no need to book, come
along on the day and meet a variety
of companies and charities with
opportunities to work, study and
volunteer overseas.
Happy New Year!
58677MC1/2015

2. Volunteering Newsletter Volunteering Newsletter
Volunteer of the month
At the start of the new semester we
want to celebrate all of the wonderful
volunteering activities our students
have been involved in over the past
year. We’d like to say well done to
everyone who has given their time to
a cause and thank you to the charities
and community organisations which
have provided student volunteers with
the opportunities to develop their skills,
enhance their employability and have
fun.
We’ve heard some fantastic stories as a
result of our annual Volunteering Fair in
November from charities including Guide
Dogs, Hadhari Nari project, Macmillan and
Myaware and we’ll share them and more
in future editions of the newsletter this
year.
If your organisation hosts a University of
Derby volunteer, we want to celebrate
the difference they’re making to the local
community. All you need to do is email
volunteering@derby.ac.uk with around 100
words on why you want to see their efforts
recognised.
Here’s to another successful year of
volunteering in 2015!
A message from Macmillan
November’s
Volunteering
Fair was
a great
success and
it’s always
a pleasure
to receive
feedback from the charities which
attended. Gini Smith from Macmillan
Derbyshire sent us this message:
“A big thank you to everyone who came
to say hello to the Macmillan team at the
UoD Volunteering Fair in November and
thanks to the Uni team for setting up such
a great event. So many of you signed up
to support us and we will be contacting
all of you to talk about volunteering
opportunities.
If you haven’t heard from us or didn’t get
a chance to come along to our stand but
would like to get involved, please get in
touch at gsmith@macmillan.org.uk or
through the Fundraising Support Centre
on 0300 1000 200 or look at volunteering
opportunities on the volunteering village at
www.macmillan.org.uk.
We hope you all had a very Merry
Christmas and hope to see you in the new
year! Let’s make a difference together in
2015 and make sure no one has to face
cancer alone.”
Recruit volunteers for arts
charity
Inspirative
Arts offers
people of
all ages and
abilities
a fun and
meaningful
way to improve their quality of life.
They use art, drama, movement and
music as tools for supporting personal
development, typically for people with
learning difficulties and those with
mental health. They support people in
small groups of 6-8 and on a one-to-
one basis in care homes and at their
base in Derby.
The role
The Volunteer Recruitment role will
involve processing volunteer applications,
arranging interviews, contacting referees,
going through start up paperwork with
volunteers, liasing with staff and tracking
the volunteers’ process, deciding whether
they pass their probationary period
and completing DBS checks where
appropriate.
They are looking for:
• Some experience of administration
duties (desirable) – must have basic
computer skills
• Experience in customer service
(desirable)
• Knowledge of the field Inspirative Arts
works in is desirable – they run creative
expressive therapy workshops for
adults with learning disabilities and want
applicants to share their passion for
supporting this client group
• Polite and well-mannered
• Leadership qualities
• Confidence
To discuss this opportunity further please
contact Sarah on E: info@inspirativearts.
co.uk
Microvolunteering
At the beginning of December
the Students’ Union held a
microvolunteering session in the
atrium where students were invited
to drop in and make Christmas
cards for children in Derby Royal
Hospital.
Microvolunteering is volunteering
that takes between 30 seconds to 30
minutes to complete – small actions
make big differences!
The festive craft session saw 28
volunteers join in on the day and they
managed to make 52 cards in just
three hours. Look out for lots more
microvolunteering opportunities over
the next year, particularly during
Student Volunteering Week.
Get recognition with the
Futures Award
Taking part in the Futures Award
is an excellent opportunity for you
to gain real life experience and to
enhance your employability. You
can gain recognition for existing
activities you are involved in or
we can help you find suitable
volunteering opportunities and
projects.
The Futures Award in Volunteering is
open to all students and any of the
opportunities in this newsletter can
qualify for the Award. To find out more
visit www.derby.ac.uk/careers/futures-
award
Make a difference with
Myaware
Myaware, based in Derby, is
the only UK charity to support
people living with the rare neuro-
muscular condition myasthenia,
which causes fluctuating muscle
weakness. Imagine being unable
to talk, swallow or even breathe
properly – for some people with
myasthenia that is a daily reality.
The condition can affect anyone
at any time, from babies to older
people. The first signs of the
condition include drooping eyelids
and double vision and although
myasthenia is treatable, there is
currently no cure.
The charity needs volunteers for the
following roles:
• Educator Difference Maker –
Keep leaflets and posters about
myasthenia up to date at medical
locations in your area.
• FUNdraising Difference Maker –
Collect funds at local events while
chatting to members of the public
about the condition.
• Schools Difference Maker – Go
into schools to present information
about the charity and the condition
to pupils and teachers.
• Spread the Word Difference Maker
– Researching local community
groups to speak at and then
booking speaking appointments to
deliver a presentation.
To apply for any of the opportunities
above please send a copy of your CV
to Sarah Hindley at
E: sarah.hindley@myaware.org
• Admin Difference Maker – Help
with filing, processing information
leaflets, letters and bulk mailings.
To apply for this role please send a
copy of your CV to Jackie Thornhill at
E: jackie.thornhill@myaware.org
Volunteer for The Big Bang!
Peak Organics encourages people to grow, cook and eat local seasonal
produce. They provide learning opportunities for people on a range of
workshops: growing salads and vegetables, pruning, compost making, wreath
and decoration making, bread making, etc. they also run a weekly market stall
at Matlock and a monthly Farmers Market Stall at Wirksworth.
Peak Organics needs help to improve their existing Wordpress based website. This
role will involve:
• Reviewing the existing website • Adding social media buttons
• Freshening the image • Upgrading the shopping cart
This opportunity will involve meeting with Peak Organics staff during normal
working hours. The website improvements can be done when convenient to the
volunteer. You will need to have knowledge and experience of Wordpress websites.
To discuss this opportunity further please email info@peakorganics.org.uk with your
name and phone number so the organisation can talk through their requirements
and your skills.
Improve a local organisation’s website
Be part of the largest celebration of
science and engineering for young
people in the UK. The Big Bang
showcases the exciting and rewarding
careers available to young people who
study science and maths. There is a
national four-day event and a series of
regional events across the UK.
There are various opportunities for
students to volunteer at the events,
whether you have an interest in STEM
(Science, Technology, Engineering or
Maths) or are looking for event experience.
Passionate about STEM?
Who: Volunteers who have a passion for
Science, Technology, Engineering and
Maths.
The challenge: Sharing your experiences
from the world of work or study to inspire
the next generation.
The roles: Structured careers activities,
judging student projects for competitions
and helping to deliver exciting hands-on
activities.
Love being involved in events?
Who: Volunteers who would enjoy the
experience of helping at a large-scale or
community event.
The challenge: Ensuring the event runs
smoothly for visitors.
The roles: Registering attendees,
managing crowd-flow in a theatre,
supporting an information point or general
tasks to support the on-site running of an
event. Leadership opportunities may be
available at some fairs.
Volunteering for The Big Bang is a great
opportunity to:
• Build on soft skills such as
communication, team work, problem-
solving and leadership
• Network with peers from your industry
or community
• Contribute to an event that inspires the
UK’s future scientists and engineers!
The Big Bang UK Young Scientists and
Engineers Fair is taking place at the NEC,
Birmingham 11-14 March 2015 (one or
more day shifts available). The Big Bang
Near Me Fairs take place at various
locations throughout the year.
Find your nearest fair and sign up now at
www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/volunteers

3. Volunteering Newsletter Volunteering Newsletter
Develop your administration and
people skills
Midlands Community Finance is a not-for-profit
organisation offering affordable business and personal
loans to the community, offering an alternative to stop
people going to high interest lenders (loan sharks).
They need volunteers to provide reception and
administration support at their office in Normanton to:
• Meet and greet customers, collate relevant information and
offer good customer service – acting as the first point of
contact when a customer contacts MCF
• Manage the reception phone, transfer calls and take
messages
• Explain to customers how MCF Loans operates, what is
required from customers and to collect basic information
from them when dealing with first contact queries
• Support the operations of the loans management and
recording systems and processes in MCF Loans. Input
data onto an Excel spreadsheet in line with training
• Identify customer needs and correctly match products and
services to assist them
• Support Loan Officers and the operations of loans
management system/processes
Skills required:
• Face to face and telephone customer service and strong
interpersonal skills
• Numeracy, accuracy and attention to detail
• Able to communicate complicated ideas in a simple way
• Organisational skills, punctual, reliable and self-motivated
• Strong customer focus with a positive outlook
• Flexible and adaptable to change, able to work alone and
use initiative
• User-level computer literacy in MS Word and Excel
• Sympathy for the social purpose of the business but
recognition that MCF is nevertheless a business
• Team player willing to contribute to and learn from other
team members
• Able to interact successfully with diverse social, economic
and ethnic groups
Volunteers can commit to hours that suit them and there is
an opportunity to be flexible. Training on office procedures
will be given and future training will be discussed.
For more information please contact Lynne Simpkin on T:
08453 883998 or E: Lynne.Simpkin@mcfloans.co.uk
Can you support stroke
survivors?
The Stroke Association works
directly with stroke survivors and
their families and carers, with health
and social care professionals and
with scientists and researchers. The
charity also campaigns to improve
stroke care and support people to
make the best recovery they can.
The charity is looking for
Communication Befrienders and
Communication Support Volunteers.
Communication Support Services
support stroke survivors whose
communication has been affected
by their stroke in order to relearn
communication skills, build confidence
and promote independence. You
will support people who have
communication difficulties following a
stroke.
You will provide focused communication
support to stroke survivors either on
a 1:1 basis in their homes or in small
groups that last between 8 - 10 weeks.
By providing communication support to
stroke survivors you can enable them
to access activities/ services and social
support. You will also support staff to
develop new communication activities
or ways of supporting stroke survivors.
This might be the role for you if:
• You have excellent listening and
communication skills
• You are willing to learn the
technique that is used to support
communication
• You are willing to try new things and
able to adapt to the needs of the
service user
What skills and experience might you
gain through this role?
• An ability to communicate using
a range of different methods and
techniques
• An awareness and understanding of
disability
• An insight into rehabilitation after
stroke, an understanding of stroke
and its effects
Out of pocket expenses are reimbursed
and ongoing training and support is
provided to all volunteers.
If you are interested in this position
please contact Emma Voyle on 07717
275725 or emma.voyle@stroke.org.uk
Metropolitan have a number of
volunteer vacancies for people to
support the running of the Hadhari Nari
Service.
Hadhari Nari Women’s project was
established in 1986 to provide support for
women and children affected by issues of
domestic abuse, working with ALL women
but targeting the support needs of Black
and Minority Ethnic Refugee Women
(BAMER). The project has developed
over the years and now offers a range
of services at an Advice and Information
Centre located in the heart of the inner city
of Derby.
Hadhari Nari has an excellent track record
and has provided support to women
for over 28 years. During the past three
decades Hadhari Nari has empowered
thousands of women to move on in their
lives after experiencing issues of domestic
abuse. The project is affiliated to Women’s
Aid Federation of England singe 1986 and
has full member status.
The charity is seeking volunteers for the
following roles:
• Administrator/ Receptionist
• Support Worker
• Befriender
• Fundraising Publicity/ Promotion Worker
• Monitoring & Evaluation Worker
• Pregnancy Testing Worker
• Counsellor
A minimum of 3 hours per week
commitment is required.
If you are interested in any of the above
positions, please contact the project on
T: 01332 270101 or E: advicecentre@
metropolitan.org.uk for further details and
an application pack.
Numerous roles with women’s project
Get to grips with nature
Derbyshire Wildlife Trust is the only organisation in
Derbyshire working to protect all wildlife throughout the
county. They manage 42 nature reserves and work to
promote and care for the natural environment and raise
awareness of wildlife issues across Derbyshire and beyond.
The charity has three exciting new opportunities.
People Engagement Events Volunteer
The People Engagement Team runs family events from two
education centres - The Whistlestop Centre in Matlock Bath and
The Wildlife Discovery Room at Carsington Water and is looking
for keen volunteers to assist it. If you enjoy craft activities, the
outdoors and wildlife and would like to encourage children to
enjoy the same then this role is for you.
People Engagement Volunteer Gardener
If you have some spare time and if gardening is your thing then
DWT’s small gardens are in need of some TLC. Derbyshire
Wildlife Trust is looking for enthusiastic and able people to help
with its gardens at either Matlock Bath or Carsington Water on a
weekly or fortnightly basis.
Membership Team Volunteer
This role is to assist the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust (DWT)
Membership Team and specifically the Membership Services
Manager and Membership Sales Officer with various aspects of
the Trust’s membership recruitment activities. The volunteer will
be required each Monday 10am to 4pm.
Main duties:
• Making up posters and leaflets to a previously designed
template with supplied text and pictures
• Scanning
• Photocopying
• Laminating
• Some database inputting
• Making up membership packs
• Mail outs
• Assisting with preparation for events
Skills/ qualities required:
• IT literate
• Organised
• Able to work to deadlines
Should you be interested in any of the above roles please email
Diane Gould at enquiries@derbyshirewt.co.uk giving details of
relevant experience, skills and knowledge.
Fancy becoming a
writer?
Student Spot
is an online
magazine
created
for and by
students which aims to make your
University life as smooth and as
fun as possible. They are looking
for student writers to contribute as
well as new motivated and inspiring
team members.
Wherever your passion lies they will
probably be able to create a great role
for you.
If this opportunity appeals to you
email hello@student-spot.co.uk with a
bit about your interests and the areas
you’d like to write about.
Develop your skills with
crime charity
Crimestoppers is the UK’s only
independent crime fighting charity.
Derbyshire Crimestoppers are seeking
enthusiastic and creative volunteers
to assist in fundraising and driving
awareness of its operations within
Derbyshire. Following the introduction
of a new Executive Committee
in October 2014, Derbyshire
Crimestoppers are recruiting
volunteers to drive the charity
forward in the county and promote its
activities.
Opportunities include general
volunteering at events and more
specific roles such as Fundraising
Lead and Media and PR.
For more information on what
volunteering for Crimestoppers
involves contact Pete Holland to
discuss on T: 020 8835 3700 or E:
pete.holland@crimestoppers-uk.org

4. Volunteering Newsletter
Become a Winter Friend or
a Winter Champion
The Winter
Friends
project is
aimed at
people in Derby who are living with
disabilities, long term health conditions
and/ or are an older person who is
over 65. The project has been set up
to provide vulnerable people with
support during the winter months
which will help them to remain safe and
independent in their homes.
Often in the winter months vulnerable
people struggle because their health
condition worsens, they are anxious,
lonely and depressed. Essential jobs
become harder to cope with and they
cannot get out and about as they normally
would.
As a Winter Friend you will provide
emergency assistance and support to at
least one vulnerable person within the
local community. Tasks you will carry out
could include picking up prescriptions,
fetching shopping, taking them to an
essential appointment, clearing snow and
ice from a pathway, changing light bulbs
or taking their dog for a walk.
Winter Champion
The Champion will visit a vulnerable
person and help them to complete a
Winter Friends plan. You will identify
where there are gaps and if any additional
support is needed. You will need to have
an understanding of links and support
given by other organisations. You will
be required to keep written records
of the plans and any signposting you
have carried out. It is important that
you recognise and respect the need for
confidentiality in this role.
You will need to have a Disclosure and
Barring Service check (CRB). It will take
about an hour for each winter plan to
be completed. You will need to find time
to keep your written records, and liaise
with the Winter Friends team if you need
any assistance. There will be a half day
training session to attend. There is no
other set time commitment, though you
need to be reliable and understand that a
vulnerable person may be relying on your
visit or telephone call.
Skills and experience required:
• Good communication skills (written and
verbal), able to listen, empathise and
deal sensitively with vulnerable people
• Be enthusiastic, patient, approachable,
calm and have a caring and friendly
nature with a positive outlook
• As you will be working with a wide
range of people from different
backgrounds, you will need to be non-
judgemental and comply with the Equal
Opportunities policy
Training will be provided and necessary
travel expenses will be reimbursed.
For more information please contact
‘Winter Friends’ on T: 01332 227743 or
E: winterfriends@communityactionderby.
org.uk
Use your digital marketing
skills to help a hospice
Nottinghamshire
Hospice serves the
Nottinghamshire
area, providing
care for adults
living with any life-limiting illness. They
have two fantastic opportunities for
volunteers to join their Marketing and
Communications team.
Digital Marketing Assistant
• Maintain and update the Marketing and
Communications plan.
• Update the website analytics report
using Google Analytics. Previous
knowledge of GA would be an
advantage though not essential.
• Benchmark digital marketing activities
against other organisations (training to
be provided).
• Assist in producing the monthly
e-Newsletter (knowledge of Mailchimp
advantageous but not essential,
knowledge of Photoshop an advantage).
• Update external events website and
keep a log of sites updated.
• Research and update external directory
sites and keep a log of sites updated.
• Will be involved in some copywriting/
proof reading for the website. (Proof of
copywriting/ proof reading skills will be
required at interview).
• May be asked to design and
collate basic surveys (knowledge of
SurveyMonkey advantageous but not
essential)
Social Media Marketing Assistant
• Maintain the social media plan and liaise
with Fundraising Department and Day
Therapy to understand what content
is likely to be generated/ needs to be
generated and when.
• Write Facebook posts and Tweets based
on the social media plan and schedule
them using Hootsuite. This will include
cropping photographs as required using
Paint. Familiarity with Hootsuite will be
an advantage. Proof of copywriting skills
will be required at interview.
• Benchmark Twitter and Facebook pages
against other organisations (training will
be given).
• Review new social media developments
by reading and summarising points from
a list of online publications.
• Update a Social Media Metrics report
using Google Analytics. Previous
experience using GA will be an
advantage though not essential as full
training can be given.
The successful candidate will be subject
to an enhanced DBS Check.
If you are interested in applying for either
opportunity please contact the hospice on
T: 01159 101008 or E: emilygreenwood@
nottshospice.org
Engage with young people
as a mentor
If you feel
passionate
about your local community and helping
people, Sova is looking for volunteers
to take part in their Engage project to
mentor young people in Derby and help
them steer clear of crime.
Sova is a national charity that has been
operating for 35 years and has several
sites established in Derby. Using pre-
emptive strategy they tackle underlying
social problems and help improve local
communities by educating members
of the public and providing additional
support. The project involves a variety
of activities, motivational talks and
workshops, so be ready to have some fun!
Volunteers are expected to commit for
two hours per week for 12 weeks. Training
sessions, which must all be attended, will
take place on January 13th, 15th, 20th
and 22nd, between 5.30pm and 8.30pm.
A DBS check will be obtained and
applicants must provide two references.
To discuss this opportunity further and
request an application form please
contact Sova on T: 01332 384611.
www.derby.ac.uk/careers