Volunteers

Volunteer and Community Net

Volunteer and Community Net, working together with the voluntary sector to support and develop voluntary services within South Tyneside.

Support and Development for the voluntary sector across South Tyneside
We are an accessible service providing support and development opportunities for voluntary, community and social enterprise groups in South Tyneside.

We work at a strategic level, attending several forums to develop an alliance way of working with organisations such as CCG and Public Health to make South Tyneside a better place to live and work. We network at local and statutory levels so that the sector has a voice.

Volunteering Services
We recognise the significant positive outcomes that volunteering can bring and the impact that it can have on everyone’s lives. We offer information and guidance to anyone interested in volunteering, acting as a volunteering recruitment agency. Through offering one to one advice we can make sure that individuals access the right opportunities for them. In addition, we offer support to those organisations who involve volunteers in their work and facilitate the volunteer coordinator network to assist groups to develop opportunities for volunteers.

Volunteer Coordinator Network
If you are an organisation or group working with volunteers you can join this network.  If you don’t have a specific volunteer coordinator within your organisation, you may consider appointing one. As a member you can be as involved as much or as little as you wish.  You will receive regular updates, invites to meetings, can network and be able to share your experiences, whilst looking at ways to work in partnership to improve our community. The network celebrates national Volunteer Week with events to show appreciation to volunteers working within South Tyneside, for their hard work, dedication and commitment.

Workshops and Training
Through regular consultation with the sector we facilitate workshops on a range of themes to support the development of skills within the sector. Recent workshops have included GDPR (Data Protection), Make Your Website Work for You, Success Masterclass and Successful Marketing.

Training delivered throughout the sector is disseminated across our networks to ensure that it is accessible to all voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations regardless of size or service being delivered.

Volunteer Passport
Volunteer coordinators set the framework and content for the South Tyneside Volunteer Passport.  The passport offers volunteers a clear progression route, which includes support, training and experience depending on the individuals aims and objectives.

The passport is designed for adults and young people over the age of 14 to equip them with specific core training to support future volunteering, giving basic skills, awareness and knowledge required to become a successful volunteer. Training for the core Passsport requirements is available either face-to-face, or via our online learning hub ‘Inspirational Learning’.

It is suitable for those already volunteering or considering volunteering.  Those who are employed or unemployed and no previous qualifications are necessary.

The purpose of the scheme is to:
Promote, support and monitor volunteering within South Tyneside.

Inspirational Learning
It isn’t always possible for volunteers and organisation staff to attend training events. Work or domestic matters often get in the way. But now Inspire ST operates its own online learning hub. Called Inspirational Learning, it went ‘live’ in January 2023, and at the time of writing hosts sixteen courses and online guides. All the courses are FREE to volunteers and staff working within South Tyneside. We will be expanding the range of courses offered as time allows. Please let Inspire know of there is anything we should include in our curriculum. Courses are all mapped against national standards, and can be studied at any time and over any period. For more information, see the Inspirational Learning site.

Sector Connector Project
Sector Connector is all about bringing together local community organisations with businesses that work in the borough, for mutual benefit. The Sector Connector project supports businesses to get more involved with the community in South Tyneside by linking them with local voluntary groups that need help. Many businesses want to share their skills, time or other resources and are looking for local groups to help.

What kind of support do you need?
The following list is an example of areas that businesses could offer support in:

• Finance and accounts
• Health, safety and risk management
• Design and branding
• Human resources
• Web design, development and hosting
• Marketing and PR
• Property renovation, management and maintenance
• Business planning
• Meeting rooms on loan
• Surplus furniture and equipment
• Free or discounted goods and services

If you need some support and think that a local business may be able to help, please fill in the online form.

Sector Connector Workshops
Some businesses can offer their expertise in free, two-hour training sessions aimed at helping VCS organisations. These are hosted by Inspire South Tyneside and are on a variety of topics. Forthcoming workshops are:

Social media, HR, Show its needed show it works, Change management – IT workshop, Charity Code of Governance, and more pipelined.

Previous workshops have included; Make your website work for you, Success masterclass, GDPR, Press releases.

Employee Volunteering
Could your project or organisation use the help of a group of volunteers for a one-off activity, such as gardening, running an event or decorating? We have a number of companies and businesses whose staff want to take part in such activities – please contact (details)

Community Friendly Business Awards
As a way of recognising businesses that have supported the community through the project, Sector Connector coordinates Community Friendly Business Awards. These are given on three levels: Gold, Silver and Bronze. Qualifying businesses receive a certificate and official branding to use on their company stationary. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it For more information contact (to come)

Facilitate Volunteer Meetings
Regular meetings are facilitated by Inspire South Tyneside to enable groups to come together to discuss, influence and shape local voluntary and community services within the region.  It provides valuable networking opportunities, where ideas and services can be shared.

#LoveSouthTyneside

#LoveSouthTyneside demonstrates and promotes Social Action within South Tyneside. Including celebrating the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector and the amazing work they do.   

Are you a hidden hero? 

Would you like to show your pride in the place and people of South Tyneside?   

Don’t hide your light, come on board and become a local South Tyneside ambassador taking every opportunity to highlight the great things going on around our Borough.

We’ve signed up to be ambassadors.  Could you?

There are so many ways to get involved.  You can talk South Tyneside up on your own social media or share opportunities with those who are interested in getting involved, or if you’re keen to start volunteering, why not contact Inspire South Tyneside.

Find out how you can get involved in supporting and promoting South Tyneside and be part of the #lovesouthtyneside or at www.lovesouthtyneside.co.uk