The One Stop Shop for Jewish Volunteering. JVN works across the community
and throughout the UK with individuals and organisations promoting volunteering
and volunteer opportunities.
Our volunteering opportunities come from four sources. Most of them are from Jewish organisations that have Jewish clients who would benefit from Jewish volunteers. Secondly there are several Jewish organisation that have put together teams of Jewish volunteers to carry our social issues work within the wider community. Thirdly there are mainstream organisations that have some Jewish clients who would benefit from a Jewish volunteer. Fourthly we list several national volunteering bodies who match volunteers to opportunities and we refer you to these organisations if you can't find anything that suits you among our opportunities. To list all the organisations representedclick here for Our Network and of course if you would like to talk to us about your search then pleasecontact us.
If you register with JVN then you can experiment with matching yourself with our database of opportunities. We will also match you on a weekly basis against new opportunities that come in. We will send you an email (or phone you if that is your choice) to let you know about these opportunities that match your preferences. You may change your details at any time by loging in and making any changes you wish. If you have any difficulties then do pleasecontact us.
Our system works from the information you give us. So, for example, if you say you only want to work with a specific type of organisation and very close to your home, you may find no opportunities emerging. In order to increase your choice, try widening your options. Include a wider geographic region, more causes and more times of the week. If the system still comes up with nothing, do pleasecontact usso that we can recommend other routes for you.
We would like to think that you will get great satisfaction from your role as a volunteer. Many people feel that they gain more than they give. You might like to have a look at ourcase studies. More concretely you should be given a clear idea of your role, what's expected of you and what training or support you will be given. You should know who to turn to if you have anything to discuss. If you are not receiving satisfactory answers or you have no one to ask within the organisations please do contact us.
Yes we do have some volunteering opportunities that can be carried out at home. When you register, you need to 'tick' the box entitled 'work from home' as the Region in which you wish to work.
All volunteers should be offered the reimbursement of their travelling expenses to and from their place of volunteering. Not only should they be offered these out-of-pocket expenses but they should be positively encouraged to apply for them. Some volunteers feel uncomfortable taking money from a voluntary organisation and therefore they do not apply. However, this behaviour makes it uncomfortable for those who really need their out-of-pocket expenses. Volunteers should all be encouraged to apply and those who feel that they have no need for this refund, should quietly donate the money back.
Some volunteering involves several hours a week and some only a few hours each month. Some opportunities are 'one off', some short term and some on-going. You will have the opportunity to indicate how much time you wish to give, and each opportunity on JVN will specify what will be expected so you can make an informed choice.
As a volunteer you are free to leave whenever you like but just as in a paid job, you would try to give some notice if you can. If you are leaving because you are dissatisfied then ideally you would talk to your supervisor to see if you can sort things out. If you would like to find a different volunteering opportunity then do carry out a search on our website. If you register with us we can send you new Matches once a week as new opportunities come up. If you need more help then pleasecontact us.
That depends entirely on what you choose to do. Some voluntary work demands no specific skills, while other tasks may require skills. Each opportunity on JVN will specify what is required.
Most organisations require a certain level of background information about you before they engage you as a volunteer and this will usually entail the request for some kind of reference. This would usually be a statement indicating a referee's (ie a person who has known you for quite a while) opinion of your suitability for voluntary work. Some volunteer roles involve contact with children and other vulnerable people (eg the elderly or the disabled) and these organisations may wish to obtain more formal references from your past employers and may require checks from theCriminal Records Bureau (CRB).
The following question would be important to ask: What will you want me to do?ho will show me what to do? What times will you need me and where?
Who do I talk to if I have things about the volunteer work that I need to discuss?
These are checks that are done to ensure that anyone working with children or vulnerable adults does not have a criminal record. It entails filling out some forms and providing some proofs of identity.Click here to get to the Criminal Records Bureau website.
Criminal Records Bureau checks are accurate only at the time they are done. It is therefore entirely possible that a new organisation would wish you to complete this procedure again if you are working with children or vulnerable adults. For more information contact theCriminal Records Bureau.
You should look carefully at the description of the opportunity on the website. You should also feel comfortable to ask anything you don't understand. In addition they will expect you to be punctual and reliable and to do your best. They will expect confidentiality from you.
We encourage schools to help their students get involved in volunteering activities but some organisations cannot insure volunteers under 16. If you have difficulties finding an opportunity then pleasecontact us.
You can certainly try to do this but we would not be able to guarantee it. It will be up to the organisation to decide whether they wish to take on two friends together.
Many people see volunteering as an effective way of preparing them for a paid job. Volunteering can provide new/improved skills, experience and personal benefits such as increased confidence, which can assist a person get a paid job. If you are looking to get a paid job by volunteering, it may help you to work out what you require from the experience, in order to choose your voluntary work very carefully.
It's important to work in an environment where you are supported and where you feel you have adequate representation. Use this question to find out how you will be managed when you are interviewed.
Many organisations now provide training for their volunteers. You may receive induction about the organisation and you may have more task specific training. You may have formal training or you may receive training by working alongside someone more experienced. You should ask you supervisor what training is available if nobody has told you.
This entirely depends on the free time you have available and when you are needed in each job. There are certainly many voluntary jobs that require an occasional meeting and these types of jobs could easily be combined with a more regular commitment. Similarly you may be able to combine volunteering work from home with other volunteer work. We would advise you, however, not to overload yourself in the first instance. It isn't fair to anyone to take on too much and then to have to back out.
Yes. The benefit regulations are clear that you can volunteer. You can find all the latest information about volunteering and benefits including Jobseekers Allowance and Incapacity Benefit fromVolunteering England.
There are no restrictions on volunteering by EU nationals. The same goes for nationals of Iceland, Norway and Lichtenstein. People with refugee status (or who have exceptional leave to remain) and family members can do any type of work including volunteering. Asylum seekers and family members may volunteer - including whilst they are appealing against a decision to refuse them asylum. You can find the latest information about volunteering by non-EU nationals, and more details about volunteering by refugees and asylum seekers from Volunteering England. Asylum seekers and family members may volunteer - including whilst they are appealing against a decision to refuse them asylum. You can find the latest information about volunteering by non-EU nationals, and more details about volunteering by refugees and asylum seekers fromVolunteering England.
Yes. There are disabled volunteers in all kinds of roles. If you have particular concerns, or are unable to find an opportunity, pleasecontact usto discuss further options.
Part of our mission at JVN is to encourage organisations to tap into the volunteer resource to enhance and improve their service. You will be carrying out work that would not be done at all if it weren't for volunteers.
My personal reward from volunteering is when I am able to draw someone out of their shell and they are able to talk brightly about their lives and aspirations.
