Other volunteering opportunities in your area
Volunteering opportunities for people with mental health problems in Kensington and Chelsea
The Kensington and Chelsea Volunteer Centre also runs the Stepping Stones Project which is aimed at helping people with physical or mental health problems, or people with a disability to get into volunteering and build up their skills. The project provides mentoring, training and support to help people to access volunteer placements.
BEST in Westminster supports people living in Westminster who have been affected by mental ill health to rebuild their skills and confidence through volunteering opportunities,as well as paid work or education/training.
Supporting people with sight loss
The Guide Dog charity oversees the My Guide scheme which arranges for volunteers to act as guides and to support people with sight loss as they get out and about.
Supporting disadvantaged families through mentoring and befriending
Are you a good listener? Could you give two hours a week to visit a family in need?
Family Friends is a charity that provides practical and emotional support to disadvantaged families with children under the age of 16 through mentoring and befriending. Parents and grandparents are especially welcome. You'd be making a fantastic contribution to the lives and well-being of another family. Full training is given.
Your local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)
Your local CAB offers information and advice to the public on debt, benefits, employment, housing, discrimination, and many more issues. They rely on the support of volunteers to help them to provide this valuable service. Contact your local CAB to find out more about volunteering opportunities near you:-
Befriending schemes
Many organisations run schemes for volunteers who can visit vulnerable, house-bound people in their own homes to offer company and practical support. The aim of these schemes is that the volunteers will get as much from the experience as the people they visit.
See our page on Befriending Services for details of local organisations who run befriending volunteer schemes.
The Abbey Housemates scheme, based at the Abbey Centre in Westminster, is looking for volunteers who can be a friendly face to older people, visit them in their own homes, and help them get to the Abbey Centre to join in fun activities.
Community Champions
Depending on where you live in Westminster or Kensington and Chelsea, the Community Champions scheme may be able to give you the chance to volunteer as a community champion for your area The kind of work you can get involved in includes:
- Organising and promoting fun days and community events
- Sharing important health messages with your community
- Undertaking surveys with local residents
- Helping to improve local services
Independent Age
Independent Age provide advice, befriending and other support for older people.
They welcome enquiries from the public about volunteering for their befriending service, or to act as a facilitator for their telephone talk groups.
Call 020 7605 4232 to find out more, or take a look at their leaflet.
Alzheimer's Society
Alzheimer's Society's Side by Side service matches people living with dementia to volunteers so they can keep doing the things they love – and try new things too.
Go to their volunteering page or call Robbie on 07938 521 113
Keep Active
Keep Active is a volunteer delivered project at Bishop Creighton House.
The project helps older people to keep mobile at home and in the community, particularly after a fall or illness. The project works closely with community rehabilitation teams and uses specially trained volunteers to help people with activities such as indoor exercise programmes, walking outdoors and using public transport again.
Contact Jess Lawn (Kensington & Chelsea) on 020 7385 9689, jlawn@creightonhouse, or Liz Rickarby (Westminster) erickarby@creightonhouse.org.
Westway CT
Westway CT provide a range of transport services for people with reduced mobility across Westminster, and Kensington and Chelsea. They are looking for volunteers, including drivers, to help them provide their services.
One Westminster Volunteer Project
One Westminster is currently running two projects:
- Befriending an older person - volunteers are matched with older people and visit them regularly.
- Learning Disabilities Volunteering - supports adults with learning disabilities into volunteering roles in Westminster,
Henna Befriending Service (from the Henna Asian Women's Group)
Henna Asian Women's Group runs a Befriending service which is open to all individuals who are in need of extra help to improve their social circle. They will reach out to the most vulnerable individuals who live anywhere in London, and need volunteers to help them to do this.
Find out more from their leaflet for potential volunteers.
The Royal Voluntary Service
The Royal Voluntary Service have network of volunteers across the country who support older people in a wide variety of ways.
The GoodGym Volunteering Scheme
The GoodGym scheme gives volunteers the chance to stay fit in a group exercise whilst offering the opportunity to give practical support to local vulnerable people.
Tempo Time Credits
Tempo Time Credits are a way of recognising the amazing things people do in their communities. If you give an hour of your time to your community, your community thanks you by giving you an hour to spend on something you would like to do. .
Equal People Mencap
Equal People Mencap (Kensington ahd Chelsea) are looking for volunteers to support their work with local people with learning disabilities - take a look at their volunteer application pack (Zip file) to find out more.
Humankind
Humankind (formerly Blenheim) is a leading charity that helps people struggling with alcohol and substance misuse across London and nationally by providing accessible support and help to end their dependency. Much of the support they offer is provided by trained volunteers