Giving some of your time to help others

Oct 13 2011 By Caroline Spelman

In these difficult times, your country needs you. So, if you feel like volunteering and could spare the time, there is a volunteer centre right here in Solihull.

I met those who run the Volunteer Centre in Chelmsley Wood town centre last month. They described just a few of the things you could do as a volunteer. These include helping a child to read, driving a minibus, becoming a school governor, helping out at a day centre, supporting a young person in crisis, doing the shopping for elderly people or tidying up their garden.

The list is endless and there is a huge range of opportunities to try. Although there is no financial reward, volunteering presents many ways in which those who give their time can also benefit. People can make new friends this way, develop personal skills and discover new ones. There is also the sense that they feel valued.

Volunteering is a much better alternative that staying home all day feeling isolated, so if you can get out and feel part of the community, it makes sense to do so.

The Volunteer Centre can provide a confidential face-to-face interview to work out how and where best to help and to offer your support and information as a volunteer. It can really help the local community and you can gain work experience as part of a change of career direction for yourself while helping someone else. Now is the time!

The centre is open Monday to Friday 10-1pm in the Solihull Connect Office in Bluebell Centre near Asda. Or email volunteering@svcok.org or call 0121 704 6789.