Older People’s Volunteering Project
If you are aged 50 or over and live in Islington we would like to meet you! Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the local community. You will meet new people, have fun, and have the chance to learn new skills as well as share your expertise.
We can offer you training, support and regular information about new opportunities as well as events and parties throughout the year. We will try and match you to an opportunity that suits your interests - that may be within Age Concern Islington or by introducing you to another local Voluntary Organisation.
We are looking for your time, your life experience and skills, but we provide training and support, so don’t feel that you have to have specific skills to offer - you don’t! Everyone has something to share. We welcome all of you.
Click here to download a copy of our Volunteer Policy to find out more about volunteering with Age Concern Islington.
Opportunities
A popular role is helping local primary school children with reading. Some of the other varied opportunities are helping asylum seekers and refugees learn English, helping Age Concern Islington to promote its insurance and other products for the over‑50s, working on a local city farm, chatting to frailer members at the Seniors’ Centres, or helping out with local groups such as the Heart and Stroke Club. We have also placed volunteers with Islington Museum, and several have joined the Council’s ‘Eyes for Islington’ scheme.
And of course, we always welcome older volunteers to help out with our own projects here at Age Concern Islington. Please check Current Volunteering Opportunities for more information.
More about Volunteering in Local Schools
Following a part-time four-week course of information sessions that include an introduction to this role, child protection, and issues such as English as an Additional Language and Dyslexia, we aim to find you a placement in a local primary school. Volunteers help out in the classroom in a variety of ways, many provide one-to-one reading support. At present Age Concern Islington volunteers are placed in a range of local primary schools across the borough. All volunteers will be required to have a check conducted by the Criminal Records Bureau. A criminal record need not stop you volunteering: only relevant or recent offences are generally taken into consideration.
If you are interested, call 020 7281 6018 and request a schools application pack, and ask when the next schools’ information sessions will be.
Occasional Volunteering
You may find that you don’t want to make a regular commitment – we also offer chances to get involved on an occasional basis. You may help out at one of our events, or get involved in stewarding summer festivals or join one of our short-term inter-generational projects.
Whatever your interests, or however much time you can offer, we would like to hear from you, and we will see if we can find something to suit you.
For more information about volunteering with Age Concern Islington or with other organizations in the borough, please contact: Jackie Hollands or Mary Folan.