Volunteer Opportunities

There is a huge range of voluntary work available in the Preston area, with several (though limited) opportunities in Chorley and South Ribble. Whatever your background or interests, whatever you age or ability, however much (or little) time you can afford to give – there will be something for you.

Here are just a few examples:

Age concern – Home Support worker -Home Support volunteers provide short term support to older people in their own homes on their return home following medical treatment. They help them regain their confidence and independence by offering emotional and practical support for up to 2 weeks. The sort of help provided usually includes preparing snacks, providing companionship and emotional support, doing errands or posting a letter, giving encouragement to stay motivated and independent, offering emotional support to rebuild confidence and reporting back to the Home Support Co-ordinator if further support is needed.

Amity – Befriending in the Community - Amity befriending in the Community is a project designed to support people who are currently or who have recently been, homeless.Through practical and emotional support, Amity aim to help overcome individual difficulties and enable people to feel more involved in their local community.

Play Inclusion Project (PIP) - PIP support children and young adults with disabilities and additional needs aged 2-23 years in Blackpool, Preston, Fylde and Wyre. Volunteers support a young person in a mainstream activity of their choice, such as playgroup, beavers, brownies, dance, drama or football, by being there at the activity as an extra member of the team. The volunteer is carefully matched to a child/young person.

Social Services – Befriending/Community Volunteer The role involves visiting older people or people with disabilities in their own home and offering friendship and companionship to a person who might otherwise be socially isolated.Having someone to talk to or share an interest with can make a real difference to that person’s life. If you can give just 1 or 2 hours weekly or fortnightly or even monthly to help others in your local area then it could be you that is making the difference to someone's life.This service can sometimes be to allow the person's usual carer to have a break and have some time for themselves and pursue their own interests.Volunteering can range from befriending people in their own homes to helping them participate in leisure and community activities.

These are just a few examples…. to illustrate the diversity of volunteer roles available. For a full listing of all the volunteer roles in the Preston area, call into Preston CVS - click here for our contact details – or, click onto www.do-it.org.uk – this is the national database of volunteering and from their homepage you can select a listing of all the volunteer work currently available in Preston or in any town or city you choose.