Community Volunteering Project (CVP)

Community Volunteering Project (CVP)

Through CVP we provide an opportunity to volunteer and do work placement. All volunteers are encouraged to undertake training to improve their skills and knowledge. This in turn improve the services provided by the organisation as a whole and their own career and job prospect.

Are you unemployed?
Do you have a skill which can help others in the community?
Would you like to learn a new skill or gain work experience?
Are you looking for work or do you have a few hours each week to spare?

Come to CVP at Action for Community Development (AfCD) and see how we can help you to help others.

While individual register to volunteer with us, we also received referrers from our network of organisations.

Placement are sent to us from Greenwich University, Lewisham College, Goldsmith University, South Bank to mentioned but a few.

What is the Community Volunteering Project?

Community Volunteering Project (CVP) is a volunteering and work placement project of AfCD. CVP is an opportunity to gain work experience, attend training courses and attain valuable skills.

Becoming a volunteer is easy! Volunteering gives you the chance to enjoy a variety of challenging and rewarding experiences.

It also enables you to meet new friends and gain life and work experiences in settings you may be unfamiliar with.

We have a range of volunteering opportunities which includes:

  • Information Technology
  • Bookkeeping or Accounting
  • Project Management
  • Health Promotion and Advocacy
  • Office Administration
  • IT tutor / IT technician
  • Social Media
  • Finance Officer
  • Community Engagement Officer
  • Bid Writing and Fundraising
  • Marketing and Communication
  • Research
  • Legal Secretary
  • Legal Adviser
  • Any other skills that you have

You can contact our Volunteer Coordinator who will assess your skills and suggest an area where you can be of use to the community. Don’t worry if you have few or no qualifications or if your English is not too good – we can give training to help you, and everyone has some skill which is of use to others.

Why Volunteer?

It’s common knowledge that volunteers do a world of good for charities and the communities they serve. But people are also discovering that helping out can also bring many benefits for the volunteers themselves.

Did you know that over 70% of employers would hire a candidate with volunteering experience over someone who has never volunteered? Just a couple of hours a week can enhance your job prospects, help plug any gaps in your work experience and give you a range of new skills.

Volunteering also offers the chance to have amazing experiences and make friends with people from all walks of life.

It can help individuals develop the confidence to try out different things, while knowing that your skills are valued and contributing to your community can be a tremendous confidence boost.

And there are health benefits associated with volunteering. Medics say that ‘doing good in the community’ can give you, a heightened sense of well being, a stronger immune system and a speedier recovery from surgery.

We will provide you with:

  • Experience and Reference
  • Possibility of employment
  • Free skills and Capacity Building Training
  • Refreshment and out of pocket expenses paid
  • You will make new friends
  • Reduce loneliness and isolation
Volunteer receiving award for international volunteer of the year
Volunteer receiving award for international volunteer of the year

Youth Volunteering Project

Our project focuses on developing a future for young people aged 16-24 years, by building motivation and confidence. Young people will take part in volunteering, training in different areas such as Business Improvement Techniques (BIT), basic IT, customer service and administration. This will create a pathway for young peoples’ careers and experience for future careers.

View our application video for funding!

The Community Volunteering Project is set up to work alongside other partners to extend opportunities to people from the disadvantaged communities in the UK and help improve their chances for employment. Volunteers already recruited have a wide range of life experiences. We ask that volunteers be of age 18+, be able to commit 2-8 hours a week and have a willingness to learn.

We coordinate a range of activities in plain English, to help provide references and secure job placements.

Just call our centre and one of our dedicated staff members will assist on Tel: 0208 692 2277

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Active citizenship

The UK Government wants to encourage migrants to integrate fully into society if they want to stay here permanently – so those who choose to take an active part in the community will be able to obtain citizenship two years earlier than those who do not.

To demonstrate active citizenship, a migrant might volunteer with a recognised organisation such as a charity, serve on a community body or take part in an activity that:

  • Advances education or health
  • Advances social and community welfare
  • Advances heritage, arts, culture or sport
  • Benefits the natural environment
  • Benefits children, young people, elderly people, disabled people or other vulnerable groups; and/or involves mentoring or befriending
Celebration of volunteering achievement at end of year party
Celebration of volunteering achievement at end of year party

Some other reasons include:

  • Learn new skills
  • Share life experiences and skills
  • Contribute to society by helping people who may be disadvantaged
  • Meet new people
  • Make new friends
  • Give back to the community
  • Make a difference
  • Gain experience and contacts to help find paid employment
  • Build self-confidence
  • Have fun
  • Socialise
  • Stay active and engaged with the community
  • Do something they’ve always wanted to do

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Volunteer receiving certification on completion of a course
Volunteer receiving certification on completion of a course

Testimonials

  • Lin Kuan Ting

    Hi, I'm Ting. Thank you for a great helping. Ken did not only help me to write my personal specification but also find out the connect between psychology and hospitality, global brand and homelessness. And it's a very warm and nice place where I could feel safe.

    Thank you!

  • Rutwika

    Hi, I am Rutwika, a graduate in computer science from India. By profession I am a freelance Web Developer. I joined here in Action for Community Development (AFCD) from August 2019 as a volunteer web developer and social media coordinator. After joining them I learnt so many things by getting involved in their funding projects like for National lottery funding and Make It Click funding. For the Make It click Project I got a chance to join a Webinar of Good Thing Foundation after successful accomplishment planning of Make It Click project. I am really thankful to AFCD that I got chance to create one of their website for their Community Legal Centre where they are providing legal advice to needy people for their legal matters at https://theclconline.com/.

    Thanks to AFCD for giving me the certificate of appreciation.

    AFCD is multitasking social enterprises and they are involve in many social projects like for unemployment, digital literacy, free training classes for adult and youth, and legal advice for people who need help. Their social involvement makes me so much influence to set up my own Social enterprise when I go back to my country India. India is a country where women empowerment is now a day’s much more essential than any other thing because of rising domestic violence and rape cases. Women empowerment can only be possible when they are independent, when they are employed. In Indian villages there are so many women trying to independent, to do something for themselves. The social enterprise which I want to set up is for these women.

  • Warda

    I heard about AFCD through a friend who used their training service. I was at crossroads as I had left my full-time job as a speech and language therapist. I came to AFCD with a dream to start my business and they supported me through the process. Joseph and Kenneth provided me with specialist advice that helped me started my business. Six weeks after attending AFCD my business gained its first customers. The courses they provide are so accessible, above that the tailored advice and support they provide young people is so special. Not many organisations can offer such a personalised service with such limited funds and manpower. Even now I make sure I pop into the office regularly to update and gain more training and support. I would advise anybody who wants to change their lives to come in and work with the team. A big thank you to Ken Thomas who helped me access other services that helped me elevate my business success.

  • Joshua

    Hello my name is Joshua and I'm 22. I heard about AfDC through my personal online research of the best organisation to get in contact with. After reading the vision and the history of AFDC, I sent them an email that lead to my first visit in SE Lewisham.

    I first came in for assistance in regards to my personal projects and for job search also to learn more things I never knew before, such as the system and how it operates in the UK, the best places to go for particular help, the urgency that our community has and the demands it needs. Above all to perfect general skills such as communication, writing and working skills and for my professional career.

    I found the sessions amazing the atmosphere that reigns at the main head office, the warmth of the people from the door to when I leave is is very good, and above all the support I receive each time I come in is always enriching.

    If I was to add anything its that everyone should come there, and participate and be a student to learn more, its definitely a place of opportunity, that every Londoner should come visit, and receive assistance in no matter they they might need. Its definitely my second home and a place i'm looking forward to spend more time in as much as possible.

For getting involved in volunteering with us, please fill out the form below.

    Volunteer Application Form

    To participate in the Community Volunteering Project (CVP) you are expected to commit to minimum of 2 days per week for minimum of 6 months, except where otherwise agreed before the commencement of your engagement with us. Please discuss your availability with the Volunteer Projects Coordinator or the person interviewing you.

    We undertake to treat all information provided in this application form according to Data Protection policy.

    Please complete the form below in full.

    Personal Details

















    Present Status



    Disability



    Availability

    When would you be able to offer time? (10 am to 6pm is a full day, 10 to 2 or 2 to 6 are a half day). You are expected to commit to minimum of 2 days per week.

    Please select the times that you could come in on at least two of the days below then check the box to confirm your availability: *











    Volunteering Opportunities

    These are some of the areas where you could volunteer to gain experience and support the objectives of AfCD.



    Academic Qualifications






    Professional Experience






    Motivation for Volunteering


    References

    This could be your teacher/tutor, work colleague, religious leader, local counsellor, MP, or employer (not friends or family)























    Emergency Contact







    Data Protection

    Your information may be shared with third parties for education, training, employment, and wellbeing related purposes including for research. This will only take place where the law allows it and the sharing is in compliance with current general data protection regulations (GDPR).

    (Failure to give consent means you cannot volunteer with us).

    IMPORTANT NOTES:

    1. We may use texts, phone, and email to contact you with urgent information, such as class cancellation, or to gather information required by our funders.

    2. In addition, we will need to see your current CV and photo ID (Passport / Driving License etc) as part of the engagement process.

    3. Depending on your role, a DBS check may be carried out by AfCD.

    4. You may also be required to volunteer in any AfCD site or that of any of our partner organisations.

    5. AfCD is not obliged to provide you reference if you volunteer for less than six months, except in exceptional cases as decided by management.

    * Required field