Seven ways to volunteer: Find out how you can make a difference

Volunteering is a great way to gain new skills and experiences, meet people and give something back to the community.

During National Volunteers' Week (1-7 June) why not consider volunteering? Here are seven ways to get involved:

Become a trustee - Charities cannot carry out their work without people volunteering to provide their time as trustees - an important role for any charitable organisation.

Volunteer driver - The Stockton-on-Tees Food Power Network relies on volunteers to deliver food packages to Eco Shops and Community Pantries across the Borough. Other organisations such as the NHS also require volunteer drivers to help transport patients.

School governor­ - School governors help to plan the strategic direction of a school, oversee financial performance and more. To find out more about being a school governor visit the school governor web page for information.

Volunteering in sport - So many sports rely on volunteers to help run the club, organise fixtures, maintain and organise the grounds and much more. Stockton-on-Tees is home to hundreds of sports clubs from football, rugby, bowls, swimming, tennis and rowing to name a few.

Gardening - Many local organisations, schools and charities need support to maintain their gardens and green spaces. From keen gardeners to people wanting to learn a new skill or improve their local area there's plenty of ways to get involved.

Litter picking groups - Litter picking is a popular way to help improve a local community. There are regular litter picking groups across the Borough who are always looking for keen volunteers. Check social media for litter picking groups in the local area.

Young volunteers - Bright Minds, Big Futures Bright Minds, the Borough's youth-led movement, works with the Council to make Stockton-on-Tees a great place to grow up. They are always looking for young people aged 11-19, or below the age of 25 for young people with disabilities to join. Visit their webpage to find out more.

What do councillors say?

The Council's Cabinet Member for Access, Communities and Community Safety, Councillor Norma Stephenson, said: "There's so many different ways to volunteer across Stockton-on-Tees. From sports coaches to carers, fundraisers to drivers, gardeners to litter pickers, there's a role to suit everyone's interests.

"National Volunteers' Week is a chance for us all to reflect and thank everyone who volunteers, as they make such a difference to their local communities and the Borough as a whole. I also hope this week will shine a light on the benefits of volunteering too and I hope that it will encourage people to come forward and find out more."

How do I find out more?

The Stockton Volunteers website is full of different volunteering opportunities along with information on what each role requires and how to apply.

On Wednesday 1 June, Valuable Volunteers: A Stockton-on-Tees Celebration, will be held on Stockton High Street. Visit the marquee on Stockton High Street from 9.30am to 3pm.

The website and market are hosted by Catalyst and supported by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.

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