Community Development Team

Volunteering - A little Time Makes a Big Difference...

If you give two or more hours a week of your time to helps others - congratulations you are a volunteer!

Many of the people who volunteer within their local community don’t even realise that’s what they’re doing – to them it’s just something they do as part of their life that keeps them connected with neighbours and friends or just simply helps them enjoy other people’s company.

• All 20 Sunderland Public Libraries across the city - 0191 514 1235
• Sunderland Civic Centre, Burdon Road - 0191 520 5555
• Sunderland Volunteer Centre, 4 Toward Road - 0191 567 8902
• Grangetown Customer Service Centre, 86 Ryhope Road - 0191 520 5555
• Sunderland Centre for Voluntary Services (CVS), Riverview House, West Wear Street - 0191 565 1566
• Easington Lane Community Access Point, Brickgarth Houghton Le Spring - 0191 526 1071
• Washington Millennium Centre, The Oval, Concord - 0191 219 3883

Did you know Volunteering is good for you?

Research commissioned to celebrate the launch of the Year of the Volunteer found that 72% of people are more likely to keep new year's resolutions if they directly benefit others.

Other research has found that volunteering can:

• Help you lose weight and get fit
• Make you feel less stressed
• Be something different to do with your friends
• Give you valuable work experience and skills
• Be an opportunity to try out new activities
• Help you meet new people and make new friends
• Even improve your health - research shows volunteers find they smoke and drink less

So whatever you plan to thrive in this year, volunteering can go a long way to helping you get there.

Volunteering opportunities from adult services, including Sunderland Community Mental Health Partnership and the Learning Disability Service.

If you want to find out about how you can become a volunteer then the Sunderland Volunteer Centre can help you to find an opportunity to suit you. Anyone can become a volunteer to find out more contact the Sunderland Volunteer Centre on 0191 567 8902 or visit www.do-it.org.uk

Keeping in touch with the younger generation is just one of the motivators for Alison from South Hylton, who is a leader with Girlguiding UK. It all started back in 1982 when her first child, Emma, joined the Brownies and Alison offered to help with the Girl Guides. 25 years later she still proudly wears the uniform.

During that time, Alison has done her fair share of sitting around camp fires and tackling outdoor activities – all things that give her a buzz.

She even went to Canada on an International Camp and regularly attends the ‘Big Gig’ music festivals.

She says: “Volunteering has done so much for me. The rewards are terrific and there’s no pressure to do more than a couple of hours a week if that’s what you want to do.” But perhaps the biggest buzz for Alison is that her time spent volunteering keeps her young at heart.

She says: “It has brought me into contact with so many different cultures and broadened my understanding of the community.

It has taught me not to be judgmental of youngsters – they all have something to offer. It keeps me young in outlook and I get immense pleasure from seeing timid little Brownies developing to become part of a team and learning skills like archery and rock climbing.”

The training to be a Guide leader covers risk assessment, child protection, health and safety, accounts and leadership. Her three daughters, all now grown up, have followed in her footsteps and volunteered to be leaders as well.

There is currently a shortage of Guide Leaders in the Sunderland area so if you are interested in giving it a go, contact the County office on 0191 423 6286 or email office@girlguiding-durhamnorth.org.uk.