Volunteering shouldn't be this hard, surely?

Do you like dogs ? Loads of rescue centres desperate for helpers . Once you're registered, you can pop along whenever you have free time to walk the dogs etc

In the two voluntary groups I am involved with, there is always a need for people who can be called on to cover for illness etc.
Could you ask local charities if they would like to have your contact details for emergencies? Of course it would always depend on your availability that day, but if they have a list of people to call on it seems to work well.

I volunteer for Good Neighbours but commit to every Monday and cover absence if I’m free, that’s booking the drives. For driving, as said, you can always refuse a job,

I volunteer at a local country park. They put ‘vacancies’ on a web page and you sign up for whatever suits you.

Then there are more informal voluntary activities like walking a route and recording the species that you see… try googling naturespace.
I also read (on GN, I think, of someone who photographs headstones for an organisation.

I volunteer at my local museum stewarding one of the attractions, I also organise the rota for the volunteers. Some volunteers prefer certain days, some chop and change. I usually send out the rota a month in advance and volunteers email me with their dates, first come first served basis.

Through volunteering at the museum, I got involved with their education team working with school groups and for a time ran the education department whe the education officer left and a replacement had not yet been employed.

I hope you find something suitable soon.

I also would like to do some volunteering and I noticed my local food bank wanted volunteers but it was in the evenings and I do not venture out in the dark. I cannot drive at dusk or dark so that is me out.

I am assuming that their day jobs take up the daylight hours.

Again I could be a waitress on Christmas Day for many who receive free lunches but again I would not be able to get home safely.

I used to do driving people to hospital appointments etc, so thought I would like to expand it a few years ago when I saw an advert for hospital volunteers. So I applied.
It was the most badly planned, inefficient thing ever and went on for months. Endless meeting and phone calls, they lost all my paperwork etc. I never saw the same person twice, there seemed to be various, very pleasant young ladies organising this. Eventually I just lost patience with them and withdrew my application. Such a shame. And I'm too old and creaky now so shan't apply again.

Our local hospital needs desperately volunteers .

In all my many visits I've only seen two of them .
Apparently , there were about 60 before the lockdown now there are about a dozen .
But applying to be a volunteer is unbelievably complicated .
I know several people who've given up and given their time to other good causes .

Have you considered joining the U3A? We in my branch are always in need of people to join the Committee or take special jobs. If it gets much worse we are going to have to close, and we have 500 members!
You get the extra bonus of Groups to join.

What about litter picking on beach or woods or questionnaires online or bank for a charity shop or kitchen helper at a homeless venue or join a choir or do something for yourself like a model for trainee hairdresser
Or perhaps make things for charity good luck x

Hi what is U3A please

National Trust volunteers sign up for whatever shifts they fancy. Some people do the same day each week, others pick a day when they have nothing else going on and some, usually still pre-retirement, do odd days/half days as and when they can. So if you have an NT property in reach, that might work. There are various options - house, gardening, 2nd hand bookshop, etc. And you meet some smashing people, both other volunteers and paying public! www.nationaltrust.org.uk/support-us/volunteer

If you are in the UK speak to your local council they are often crying out for volunteers

They don’t make it easy, do they. My friend who retired early from a busy PA/Admin role applied for a voluntary NHS administrator role. They wanted a reference from a person of standing in the Community such as Solicitor or Police Officer. She knows neither, so had to withdraw her application. Stupid. No wonder they struggle to get volunteers.

Do you have a 'Link Scheme' in your area?

We have one in the town and several in the villages surrounding, where you can call to get a lift to a hospital/doctors appointment etc (my mum uses it to go to yoga every week). There is a co-ordinator and they have volunteers who they can call upon to do the driving.

A friend of mine also volunteers for the local foodbank - they also have a list of volunteers to call upon to deliver boxes etc to people or collect from supermarkets.

I too am bored senseless but as I am ill and disabled I'm not much use to anyone except from behind a keyboard sadly ... would love to do something but just cannot be relied upon, which would give me so much extra stress if I couldn't go .

Good luck in your endeavours!

Nannyof4mummyof2

Hi what is U3A please

University of the 3rd Age www.u3a.org.uk/

All run by volunteers.

It was the regular commitment aspect that put me off voluntary work. If there was anything one could do on the basis of what you can when you can I'd have jumped at it.

Our local school has a scheme whereby you can go and listen to readers and/or read a story to a group of children. While they do prefer a regular commitment for timetabling they are understanding that occasional absences will occur.

Age UK do a Befriending Service?

www.ageuk.org.uk/services/befriending-services/

www.ageuk.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer/telephone-friend/

I just hate making phone calls now though which is a shame.

I should have said it's an infant/primary school.

Funny you say Brexit has stopped your travel. Why?
My family, live in Europe, and us from UK have found travel just as easy, in fact theyre so friendly at Schipol, so organised, it takes no longer than usually 15 mins to get through, quick stamp and smile off we go. Not stopped us. As for volunteering g, you can't usually pick and choose, if you volunteer you make a commitment to certain hours or days. That's why I chose not to. Had enough during my working days.

Have you got a local Hospice they use Navigators who organise their own time with their patients. I was one for 5 years and it is a lovely job to do in the community.
Do you have a carers group, they too need volunteers and even though they meet on set days, there is lots of work that needs doing in the background.
U3A are always looking for Volunteers
Your community Transport company driving people to and from hospital or other appointments is flexible too as lots have already said. There is so much volunteering out there. The country has come to rely on volunteers, so no it should not be difficult to find organisations who would welcome you with open arms. Good luck in finding something you will really enjoy doing

I have worked for a charity for many years. We had volunteers and also ‘bank’ volunteers who we could ring at short notice to cover sickness or absence. Maybe that might suit you? They knew they could say no if it wasn’t convenient for them, but it worked well.

aonk

I have a friend with the same problem. She now volunteers for a charity which organises transport to hospital appointments etc. Apparently you can block off the days you’re busy on the website and also choose days and times when you’re available. I’m afraid I don’t have any more details. My friend lives quite far from me but I think this service is quite widespread.

I used to do that, and once a month used to spend a whole day on the phone, taking the calls and finding volunteer drivers. But fairly often I couldn’t find anyone willing, and ended up doing it myself.

I only stopped after a few years when the number of people who were frankly taking the P*, using it as a free taxi service, when it was supposed to be for those who genuinely were unable to use public transport (and ours is very good) not to mention one old bloke groping me in the car! - just got a bit too much.

*I mean e.g. people wearing obviously new and expensive clothes, who liked to tell me en route that they regularly ate in this or that restaurant we passed on the way!

OTOH it was so often those who were evidently very far from affluent, who’d try to give me a pound for my petrol. 🙁

What governor of school college or NHS Trust a few meeting a year online ( hopefully now) and engagement events if you are free.

Then there is trustee of charities a few meeting a year and interested in charity.

Being a guest / co host/ volunteer at local community radio station. Does not have be all the time but can be if you host a show .

Befriending load of charity need this

Transport of charities ie blind charities need drivers when available.