Volunteering in Chesterfield: a gateway for developing your skills and career
This month we are celebrating the Voluntary Community Sector; volunteering doesn’t just help others, it’s also a great way to develop your own skills.
There are lots of obvious benefits to volunteering – a sense of accomplishment and being able to give back to others. But volunteering can also be a gateway to develop your career, by widening your experience and learning new skills.
Volunteering can help to develop your career
Meet Martha Bramwell, Projects Apprentice at Chesterfield-based community organisation Junction Arts.
Martha demonstrates how volunteering can help progress your career, she originally started at Junction Arts as an intern in December 2020 but has recently progressed into a full-time Projects Apprentice role.
She said: “I am delighted to be enrolled at Chesterfield College doing the Level 3 Team Leader Apprenticeship. During the apprenticeship I am looking forward to building my confidence, developing my leadership skills, and improving my communication skills. I am so grateful to be able to continue my journey at Junction Arts. So far, I have been supporting ‘This Girl Codes’ project by creating social media and doing project research. I’m really enjoying helping to deliver projects and one day I hope to be able to run my own projects helping people like me.”
Details of volunteering opportunities at Junction Arts can be found here.
Find out more about becoming an apprentice in Chesterfield here.
Looking to hire an apprentice?
Hiring an apprentice can bring a wealth of benefits to your organisation and employers in the community and voluntary sector can benefit from funding towards apprenticeship training. Explore the different funding opportunities available here.
One of the funding opportunities is through the government Levy Transfer service. As an organisation, you can use this service to apply for funding from large businesses who can transfer up to 25% of their Levy, providing 100% funding of your apprenticeship training and assessment costs. Find out more and search the available funding opportunities here.
Opportunities to volunteer in Chesterfield
Not only can you develop new skills and gain different experience through volunteering. It can also be used as a way to raise your profile, meet new people, and see what a paid role in a particular career might be like.
There are lots of volunteering opportunities available in Chesterfield that can help develop your chosen career:
- Active Derbyshire – if you have an interest in sports and physical activity, Active Derbyshire have a range of roles which be on interest. Register and search the roles here: https://www.activederbyshire.org.uk/volunteering
- Ashgate Hospice – offer a wide choice of volunteering roles available. From Events Assistant to Ward Assistant. View the volunteer roles: https://ashgatehospice.org.uk/volunteering/
- Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice – have lots of volunteering roles for you to gain new skills whilst making a difference. Search the current roles here: www.bluebellwood.org/current-volunteering-opportunities
- Barrow Hill Roundhouse – are looking for volunteers to help out at the Roundhouse. Find out more: www.barrowhill.org/volunteers.html
- Chesterfield Canal Trust – if you’re passionate in seeing the Chesterfield Canal fully restored, you can volunteer your time to help with projects. Find out more about the roles available at: www.chesterfield-canal-trust.org.uk/membership/volunteering/
- Chesterfield Community Hub (Monkey Park) – are looking for volunteers to help run clubs, events & activities plus help with baking, gardening, cleaning, maintenance and in the kitchen. Find out more and register your interest here: www.monkeypark.org.uk/donate
- Chesterfield Football Club – offer volunteering and work experience for a range of roles, from coaching to marketing. Details for applying can be found on their website: www.spireitestrust.org.uk/about-us/staff-vacancies/
- Chesterfield Royal Hospital – have volunteering opportunities across a range of departments, find out more: www.chesterfieldroyal.nhs.uk/work-us/volunteering/current-volunteer-opportunities
- Citizens Advice Service – are looking for volunteers for roles including admin, customer service, media, fundraising and giving information and advice to support clients. Find out more: citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/support-us/volunteering/
- Derbyshire Alcohol Advice Service – are seeking Volunteer Counsellors. This is an ideal opportunity for students who are undertaking a Level 4 Diploma or a Degree in Counselling or Psychotherapy. Find out more: www.daas.uk.com/vacancies.html
- Dronfield Hall Barn – are always looking for new volunteers. The 3 main roles are Front of House, Archive and Gardening. Find out more: www.dronfieldhallbarn.org/volunteering/
- Fairplay – are looking for volunteers to help with their schemes for children and young people and help with fundraising events. They welcome volunteers from the age of 14 years. Find out more and the volunteer application form: www.fair-play.co.uk/get-involved/volunteer-for-us/
- The Children’s Hospital Charity – get involved with charity events, become a marshal, collection tins or organise a collection. Find out more: www.tchc.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer.html
- Transition Town Chesterfield – support and promote a range of local community projects that are working towards a greener and more sustainable future. See details of current volunteer opportunities at: http://transitionchesterfield.org.uk/volunteer-jobs/
Junction Arts at the Tapton Lock Festival
