How we help
Do you involve and/or manage volunteers? Are you looking for advice and guidance? Look no further we are here to support you.
Advertise your opportunities
The Volunteer Centre is a Community Works service supporting charities, non-profits and
community groups to deliver social action across Adur, Worthing, Brighton and Hove. We
connect volunteers with local organisations and offer support to create positive, impactful
volunteering experiences.
Our free volunteer platform allows you to advertise and receive interest from potential volunteers all in one place. It has hundreds of people ready to volunteer.
We also offer:
- Guidance on recruiting and involving volunteers, including help with role descriptions and advert wording.
- One-to-one support for people looking to volunteer who might not be able to access or feel confident using the platform, aren’t sure what they want to do or need extra help finding the right opportunity
Getting you started
Best Practice Guide
We have created guides and collated resources offering key information and guidance to support you when planning a volunteer programme, recruiting, supporting and managing volunteers.
One-to-one advice
We offer one-to-one support on all aspects of volunteer management. We proactively seek out and prioritise this service to those groups working with marginalised people including Black and Racialised Minority, disabilities/long term health conditions, LGBTQIA+, faith and those at risk of chronic exclusion.
Training courses
We run different workshops and training for volunteer managers and coordinators, as well as being able to provide charged-for tailored training to meet the specific volunteering development and/or management needs of your organisation or group.
Volunteer Coordinators’ Forum
Our forums operate in Adur & Worthing and Brighton & Hove and are open to anyone who manages or supports volunteers – no matter the size of your organisation or whether your role is paid or volunteering.
It’s a welcoming space where you can connect with others in similar roles, stay informed of the latest developments in volunteer management and build your skills through shared learning and peer support.
Through in-person sessions and a dedicated e-list, you’ll have the chance to network, exchange ideas and discover best practices. Each session is shaped based on topics and feedback shared by you, national volunteering developments and/or our funders.
You’ll also receive updates on new training opportunities and volunteering developments.
Discover what is like to be a Community Works Volunteer Centre Volunteer and how we support organisations. Hear from Brenda who has been part of the team for 14 years
What does a typical day look like when you volunteer?
Checking and responding to emails that have come in from organisations or redirected to me from the Volunteer Centre Coordinator. Actions may be as simple as closing/pausing or renewing an opportunity advert or adding a contact to the organisation’s account.
How do you help organisations look for volunteers?
- Register for an account or register an advert
- Publishing an advert
- Assisting in drafting/editing a role or advising on supplementary alternative avenues of advertising
- Renewing adverts
- Assisting with the technical side of the platform
- Contacting organisations who not aware of our service
What do you enjoy most about volunteering?
Knowing the skills I have are beneficial to the Volunteer Centre and enable it to work more smoothly; making a tangible impact when organisations have found great volunteers via our platform and the Matching and Guidance Service – which ultimately helps in the delivering of that service to the community or clients.
In the past, my role with the Matching and Guidance team also gave me a good deal of satisfaction in advising and helping volunteers to find a suitable opportunities. It was great to hear back from volunteers for whom volunteering had helped so much in their life. Gave me a real boost.
I enjoy our team meetings and fun team activities that we do every so often. Volunteering with Community Works has given me opportunities for learning new skills. I appreciate that the organisation includes us in any changes, consults with us, listens to our views and takes these on board. Everybody is welcoming and helpful. It is a joy to be a member of the team. I always feel that any contribution we make to the Volunteer Centre is valued.
What are the benefits to organisations receiving Volunteer Centre support?
- It’s a free service, and a dedicated service supporting organisations in finding volunteers and volunteers in finding opportunities suitable to their skills/need
- Gives access to advice and guidance on volunteer management, ensuring good practice
- Reaches a diverse audience of volunteers with a wide range of skills/experience, offering their time via our platform and social media
- Offers organisations increased visibility and the opportunity to reach local communities
- It’s a representative and supportive voice for the sector
- Opportunities for networking for the voluntary sector through partners and the Volunteer Coordinators Forum.