Volunteering as an Individual

Firstly, thank you. You are all doing amazing work and pulling together for the benefit of our community. There are a lot of wonderful people helping out during this time of need, and our top priority is to keep everyone safe and to help you, keep those around you safe and healthy too. With this in mind, we are sharing some resouces which we hope you will find useful?

If you are intending to volunteer through an established charity, there is a formal process that you will need to go through. Especially if your volunteering role brings you into contact with vunerable people or children.  Because of this, you will need to undergo a enhanced DBS check. This is a simple safeguarding check to ensure that you have no previous convictions that would bar you from volunteering. We can help you through this as part of your registration process. However, if you already have a DBS in place, talk to us to see if we can place you using your exsisting check. 

Below are some resources for you to look through so you have an understanding of what to expect and what will be expected of you when you volunteer. Our pared down Volunteer Handbook is fairly generic but can be used by volunteers to support such roles as shopping, collecting prescriptions, gardening, telephone befriending and more.  We have also produced a number of short animinations on volunteering, including: Top Tips for Volunteering, Safeguarding and Telephone Befriending. 

There are also many Facebook groups being set up across Barnet for grassroots neighbourhood support, including Mutual Aid and many Whatsapp groups. For these community groups there is no formal training but you may feel that you would like to have a little bit more knowledge and some general guidelines. If so? these resources will help. 

Everyone has the right to live in safety and free from abuse and neglect. Our Safeguarding animination will help you understand the role you play in safeguarding others.

Please fill out our registration form here

Resources

Download the Handbook here 

Download the Volunteer Guidelines here 

Watch Tips for Staying Safe While Volunteering here 

Watch Telephone Befriending Top Tips here

Learn about Safeguarding here

Generic Risk Assessment is available here 

Mutual Support Covid-19 Resources and Volunteer Information

Please feel free to use and share them as needed. 

CommUNITY Barnet Basic guidelines to protect volunteers
It’s fantastic to see volunteers offering to help, but volunteers also need to protect themselves during Covid 19.

Please remember:

• Before volunteering wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds. Take sanitiser gel with you, and use when appropriate and/or when you don’t have access to soap and water washing facilities.
• Always wash your hands when you get home from volunteering.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze, and put used tissues in the nearest bin immediately - then wash your hands.
• Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell.
• Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean.

When helping neighbours please only offer to help for the tasks you feel comfortable doing and are able to do. Volunteers helping local neighbours need to make sure that if they become unwell themselves they MUST not volunteer. Volunteers need to protect themselves and not put other people at risk.

If you can't physically volunteer, there are still some things that you could get involved with:

• Think of others, consider your actions & be kind: People in every community will face the challenges of Covid-19 in some way – from needing basic provisions to help while they are unwell.
• Connect and reach out to your neighbours: as self-isolation increases, we need to find new ways to stay connected and check in on one another for our physical and mental wellbeing. Share phone numbers and stay in touch.
• Make the most of local online groups: Keep up to date, share information and be a positive part of your local community conversations using platforms like Nextdoor.
• Support vulnerable or isolated people: different groups in our communities are at increased risk, and social isolation and loneliness are key concerns for all ages. There are things you can do like volunteering for local phone support services or donating to food banks to help.
• Share accurate information and advice: Support anyone who may be anxious about Covid-19. Sign post them to the correct advice from Public Health England and encourage people to follow the correct hygiene practices.

Lastly, thank you all again for being so amazing. 

The CommUNITY Barnet Team