JVN has been connecting potential and existing volunteers to volunteering opportunities with Jewish and non-Jewish charities for the past 10 years. The Award reflects its achievements over the decade and is especially resonant as we celebrate our 10th anniversary this year.
JVN was the brainchild of the late Dr Judy Citron and Susan Winton, the immediate past Chairman, who co-founded the charity. Since its inception, it has grown exponentially. To date, JVN has nearly 8,000 volunteers registered on the website and over 400 charities who utilise its services. This ensures that charities connect to thousands of willing and suitable individuals.
JVN is a national and leading faith based charity that also provides training and networking for volunteers and volunteer managers, helps with Trustee recruitment and placement and has a specific programme supporting individuals with learning needs and mental health challenges. JVN is faith partner of NCVO and Greater London Volunteering.
Ros Preston OBE, President of the charity said that, “given the current climate, it is more important than ever that JVN works with different faith based charities to promote volunteering across faith based communities.” JVN works very closely with ANSAR, the Muslim volunteering charity, and Caritas Volunteering Service, the Catholic based volunteering charity, which JVN helped establish over a year ago.
As part of winning the award, JVN’s Chairman, David Lazarus, was invited to attend a Royal garden party at Buckingham Palace. JVN Director Leonie Lewis was presented with the Award by Martin Russell, the Deputy Leiutenant of Great London and the Lord Leiutenant's Representative for Barnet, in a ceremony at the Aviva London Headquarters in the City of London, on Wednesday 5th July 2017. She noted that “Far too few Jewish and faith-based charities are award recipients,” and that she hopes that others will now follow and reward the wonderful contributions volunteers make to the charity and voluntary sector.
