I don't have a lot of free time, can I still volunteer?
Yes, definitely! Volunteering doesn't have to be a weekly commitment. Community Action has opportunities to get involved that are flexible, allowing you to take part as often or as few times as you'd like. For example, you could prepare meals for people living with HIV once a month, assist with activities for disabled children as many, or as few, weekends as you are free or just "turn up and go" on conservation events with no notice required!
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I know the type of volunteering I want to do but you don't have a project to suit me...
We do our best to cater for all interests and timetables, but as a growing project there's still plenty of room for development. Community Action is a student- led programme, that means it is your programme! We're always on the look out for new, exciting projects to add to our current range, so let us know if there's an area you think we haven't got covered at the moment and we'll see what we can do.
If you've spotted a need at the University or in your local community that is not being addressed, why not set up a project of your own? We can provide all of the information and support you need to get your idea up and running.
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I want to volunteer but can't afford to keep travelling across London...what can I do?
Community Action doesn't believe that your volunteering should cost you anything!...Or that potential volunteers should be put off by worrying about expenses. Most of the projects we work with will reimburse your travel expenses and where the project doesn't cover costs, we will. The project information we provide at your induction will let you know from whom you need to claim your expenses. You will need to keep any receipts and then fill in a form from your project or from KCLSU.
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I'm mainly volunteering in order to improve my CV- won't people think it's bad that I'm just doing it for my own benefit?
We understand there are lots of different reasons people choose to get involved with Community Action- and whether you're volunteering 'for fun', 'to give something back' or to gain experience and develop your CV, you've got just as much to gain from giving your time to help other people. So there's no problem at all in signing up to volunteer in order to improve your CV- and if you're open about this in your induction, we'll try to make sure we place you with a project which will help you to gain the skills or experience you think you need.
We expect every Community Action volunteer to be reliable and committed to the project or event they choose, so being happy with and motivated by the choice you've made is really important. Volunteering is by no means the 'easy option' to filling those CV gaps, but it may well offer the chance you're looking for to demonstrate your initiative, team-working or communication skills or to get vital experience for where you want to go next.
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I'm not sure that I want to volunteer in a hands-on role, I'm better at organising things, can I still get involved?
There are lots of ways to volunteer that don't involve working directly with people. Examples include fundraising and awareness raising for the medicinema SMART Team, historical research at Somerset House, preparing meals and navigating deliveries for people living with HIV, or helping with administration at a hospice. You can also help with the organisation of Community Action- providing information to new volunteers, publicising our activities, organising events and more!
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I've heard there's some kind of interview before I can start- why do I need to do this?
It's important that you come in to see us before starting volunteering so that we can help you to decide what kind of volunteering will be best for you. The induction is not a formal interview, but a chance for us to have a chat so you can find out more about us and so that we can find out more about you!
We'll let you know how we can help and support you during your time volunteering and how you can make your views heard and influence the programme. We'll also talk about your availability, interests, needs and reasons for volunteering. If you want to set up your own project, it's an opportunity to discuss your ideas and plans. There's also a few practical things, such as recording your contact details and providing you with further information or application forms for your chosen project. Most inductions take around 20-30 minutes. Arrange one by getting in touch via the 'Community Action' section of this website.
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I've never volunteered before- do I need any experience?
You don't need any previous experience of volunteering to get involved with Community Action. For most projects, enthusiasm and commitment are much more important! You will be offered the chance to go to a Community Action induction session where you will find out everything you need to know about volunteering at King's. It's also a great way to meet other new volunteers.
Every project will then offer an induction or training to prepare you for your specific volunteering role- this could be a number of sessions or a shorter briefing depending on the role. Further training will also be available during the year from Community Action and/or your project in areas such as communication, project management and even how to play games!
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Is there any help once I've actually started volunteering?
After your induction, you'll be contacted regularly by a member of the Community Action Team who will be checking if evrything is going well and who will be a point of contact for questions, stories, feedback and further information. Drop in to monthly social events (see our regular email bulletins and monthly newsletter for details) to catch up with other volunteers, or come along to training events and our termly Community Action Showcase and Celebration event to get more information and have your ideas heard!
If there are any problems which come up while your volunteering- please let us know! Whether you've decided that the project's just not right for you, your circumstances or availablity have changed, or simply you can't remember how to claim your expenses, staff and volunteers are on hand to help via phone, email,text or in person.
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This all sound great- how do I get started with Community Action?
The first thing you need to do is get in touch and come and see us! You can sign up here from our website, email or call us to book a time to see us at any of our main three sites. Drop in to see a member of the Community Action Team at Guys's or the Strand between 2pm and 5pm on a Tuesday and Wednesday and on the Waterloo Campus between 2pm and 5pm on a Wednesday and Thursday - or pick up more general information 12-2pm every day! It's helpful if you've had time to think about the kind of volunteering you might like to do before you came and see us, so take time to have a good read of the website - looking forward to meeting you!
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