Solas’s volunteer scheme is working to support economically inactive people in Newport and Monmouthshire to take steps back towards employment.
The volunteer scheme can provide you with individual support to access volunteering opportunities within Solas and also with other organisations. Our volunteer coordinator will work with you to help you access free learning opportunities to help you gain the skills you need to achieve your goals.
Opportunities range from one off events to ongoing placements with a chance to learn new skills, meet new people and gain a positive outcome.
Examples of what some of our volunteers have already achieved and participated in include:
‘The Big Dig’ helping to prepare the Solas allotment for the next year. Participants cleared, dug and tidied the allotment to enable it to be re-planted for 2012. We hope this will be an ongoing project that will be supported by the volunteers throughout the year. Participants commented that:
‘The Big Dig helped me to improve my confidence and gave me a feeling of satisfaction’
People that Solas supports from its schemes in Newport and Monmouthshire gave up their time to ensure the residents of Tredegar were able to have a very merry Christmas. They helped to hang the trimmings on the ceiling throughout the accommodation and were rewarded with a large tub of Quality Street.
Louise West Solas’s Volunteer Coordinator worked with Melin Homes to arrange this opportunity and said ‘all of the volunteers really enjoyed themselves and the older people commented on what a good job they had done and how the building now looked really nice’
Participants will benefit from free training, travel will be paid for to access volunteering, if you volunteer for 6 hours or more we will reimburse your lunch and we may also be able to help you out by paying for childcare! (please call for more details)
Assistant Director Hayley Clark said: ‘We are thrilled to be able to offer such exciting opportunities to people across South East Wales and are grateful to the WCVA for their funding. We see this as a real opportunity for people to improve their skills and confidence through volunteering which can lead on to so many other opportunities, this is exactly the ethos of Solas and what we aim to achieve’
Solas Volunteer Project is currently funded by the Engagement Gateway EU fund through WCVA, anyone who is Economically Inactive (not claiming JSA or ESA) are welcome to apply to become a volunteer as part of this new initiative and take part in the next round of fantastic opportunities.
For more information please contact Louise West on 01633 664045 or louise.west@solas-cymru.co.uk to find out how you can get involved.