Volunteer Centre Newcastle

Volunteer Voice

Volunteer Voice is the quarterly publication of CSV. Volunteer Voice is CSV's internal newsletter for volunteers produced by Paul Whitlock of CSV Virtual Volunteers. We are working closely with Paul to promote the Ouseburn Valley Volunteer launch and Make a Difference Day which are both featured in his latest newsletter. To view this form in PDF format please follow this link.

Catch up with our newsletters

We send out monthly newsletters to volunteers with all the latest information which might be of interest to volunteers. Please contact us if you think you have something that might be of interest to the hundreds of prospective volunteers who read this emailing and web based newsletter.

Voucher Winner

To enter the draw we asked everyone who has used our service in the past two years about their experience as a volunteer and what difference volunteering can make to people who decide to volunteer. It was clear from all the responses what a positive impact volunteering can have. The quotes can be found in the Volunteer Voice newsletter which you can find on the Good Practice page of this website

Volunteers' Week

Volunteers' Week is here. To show your appreciation to your volunteers why don't you use our 'Certificate of Appreciation' template - designed by a CSV Virtual Volunteer. It can be found on the Good Practice page under Organisations & Groups on this website.

Volunteers' Week

Volunteers' Week is a national celebration of volunteers and volunteering which takes place at the start of June each year. During Volunteers’ Week there is a burst of activity as events take place across the country to increase awareness of the UK’s volunteers. Volunteer managers and co-ordinators organise events to publicly thank their volunteers and highlight their contribution to local groups and the wider community, while individuals are encouraged to use the Week to find out more about volunteering. Everyone is invited to join this national celebration of volunteering; it's up to you to decide exactly how you join in. Please tell us how you plan to thank your volunteers for all their efforts.

Volunteers' Week

Volunteers' Week is a national celebration of volunteers and volunteering which takes place at the beginning of June each year. It plays a huge part in raising the profile of the UK's millions of volunteers while encouraging others to get involved. If you are volunteering please take time to send us an email telling us about your experience – do you do something unusual? Has volunteering made a difference in your life? Please tell us about your experience and share it with someone who may need that little bit of encouragement to get involved. All volunteers who response will have their names entered into to a free Prize Give away of £20.00 worth of Eldon Square vouchers

Goodbye from Chrissy

Chrissy will be leaving Volunteer Centre Newcastle on Friday 14th March. This is due to a loss of funding which has reduced the number of staff at the centre. Fortunately she is moving to a new role at Stepney Bank Stables. Volunteer Centre Newcastle's services will continue to operate from the CSV office with Karen and Adam.

Festival of International Culture

The 3rd Annual Festival of International Culture opens its doors to doors to the whole community on Saturday 8th March 2008 on Newcastle University Campus from 10am to 5pm. This vibrant celebration of languages and culture combines a whole range activities designed for all ages from primary through to higher education, for teachers, for beginner language learners, and parents too. Come along to improve your knowledge of global languages and cultures. For more information visit www.routesintolanguages.ac.uk/northeast/events.html and www.volunteercentrenewcastle.org.uk/festival.pdf or contact Ruth O’Rourke on 0191 222 3496.

Volunteer Centre Newcastle passes with flying colours!

Volunteer Centre Newcastle is very proud and happy to announce that we have passed the Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation and not only that we received full marks!! This is a great achievement for the centre and we would like to thank all of you who have used and benefited from our services.

Christmas and New Year opening

Our opening day for 2007 will be Friday the 21st December and we will be closed until January 2nd 2007. You can still register your interest in volunteering through the 'Do-it' website and we will get back to you in the New Year.

Fundraisers needed on Sunday

They are desperately looking for Volunteers at the Metro Centre to Promote/Recruit for our Tyne Bridge Abseil and also help sell raffle tickets. For more information please contact Nathan Money on 01642 531 248

Gold Star Regional Seminar

Samantha minds the GAP, as GoldStar comes to Newcastle on 5th September. Samantha Gray from Gateshead describes her decision to become a volunteer at a local project for people with disabilities as ‘the best thing I’ve ever done’. Samantha, 30, who is a wheelchair user herself, volunteers at the Gateshead Access Panel (GAP) – one of a network of local projects funded by the GoldStar volunteering programme - which aims to boost the numbers of volunteers recruited from socially excluded groups including disabled people. GoldStar will be staging a seminar, to show how people can take advantage of the programme, at the Centre for Life in Newcastle on Wednesday 5th September. Samantha believes that the voluntering she does has a double-edged benefit – as it not only helps people with disabilities to make the most of living locally but has also done wonders for her own confidence and personal development. She explains: “Our work here is improving the lives of people with disabilities and long term illness in the community. We give guidance and advice to make life easier for our service users. We’re helping people like ourselves and that’s something worth working for. “GAP also provides training and help that disabled volunteers like myself need to be able to come to work. It’s really nice working with people who understand that, for some of us, things can take a bit longer to achieve. I’ve been able to build up my confidence and ability in small steps without feeling under constant pressure to deliver.” She adds: “Working at GAP has given me an equal chance to get a job and do the kind of work I really want to do. I love the idea of helping other people and be able to learn new things. Best of all, it’s just brilliant being involved. I can’t wait to get out of bed in the mornings.” Anyone who would like to find out more about the GoldStar programme - and the lessons it can teach recruiting volunteers from groups who traditionally shy away from volunteering – can attend a seminar being staged in Newcastle at the Centre for Life on Wednesday 5th September. More information about the event is available from the ‘Events 2007’ section of the GoldStar website – www.goldstar.org.uk

Upcoming Training

The new winter training brochure from NCVS is now available. The Brochure includes training courses being offered and/or facilitated by Volunteer Centre Newcastle. For more information please go to the training section of this website.

Green Festival pictures

The Mayor came, our volunteers came, loads of people came. We all enjoyed ourself and lots of doughnuts were eaten. To find out more visit the Events page on our website.

Newcastle Celebrates Volunteers' Week

Volunteers' Week is the UK's annual celebration of the contribution volunteers make. During the Week events are held across the country to recognise, reward and recruit volunteers. Volunteer Centre Newcastle and the Newcastle Volunteering Forum have organised a Volunteers’ Week event within the Green Festival, Leazes Park on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th June from noon each day. The Volunteers’ Week celebrations will be in it own tent, which YOU will be able to visit and contribute to a short film being made about YOUR volunteering experiences. If you’re feeling a little shy then you can contribute the ‘Thought Tree’ by writing about your experiences of volunteering. The Newcastle Community Green Festival is an annual community based environmental festival that aims to use creative artistic and musical activities to raise awareness about environmental issues and demonstrate positive environmental solutions to these problems. It is a vibrant weekend of diverse music and stalls, attracting thousands of people so come along and join us in the Volunteers' Week Tent

Green Festival

Volunteer Centre Newcastle will have a tent at this year's event. Please come along to share your experiences of volunteering where we will have an ideas tree and we will also be videoing people who want to talk on film about their volunteering lives.

Volunteers' Week Event

Volunteer Centre Newcastle and the Newcastle Volunteering Forum have organised a Volunteers’ Week event within the Green Festival, Leazes Park on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th June. Volunteers’ Week * is a perfect opportunity to thank volunteers for their huge and unique contribution to the City. The Volunteers’ Week celebrations will be in it own tent, which YOU will be able to visit and contribute to a short film being made about YOUR volunteering experiences. If you’re feeling a little shy then you can contribute the ‘Thought Tree’ or participate in an art project to celebrate volunteering. If you are a Volunteer Involving Organisation and would like to book time at the Volunteers’ Week tent to give a special ‘Thank You’ to your volunteers please contact us on the details below. Visitors to the tent will be entered into a prize draw upon completion of a short feedback form. So come and join us and enjoy the atmosphere of a vibrant community festival, meet other volunteers and the Volunteer Centre Team. If you would like more information about the event, information on volunteering opportunities or involving volunteers in your organisation please contact: Volunteer Centre Newcastle Tel: 0191 232 6616 / 0191 232 7445 or Email: info@volunteercentrenewcastle.org.uk

Relaunch of website

Volunteer Centre Newcastle is pleased to reveal its redesigned website with more information and new accessibility features. With the help of two volunteers we have aimed to produce a site which is both informative and accessible to all users. We welcome any comments you may have about the new look site which you can add using the Feedback section on the home page.

Future of volunteering

The Commission on the Future of Volunteering is holding a consulation day in Newcastle. The event will be held on Wednesday, 7th March 2007 at the Mariott Hotel, Gosforth Park, where questions such as "What do you think is happening to volunteering in the North East?" will be discussed.

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