Volunteering in the Lancaster District

Volunteering can be very rewarding

• Knowing that you have given your time to do something useful
• Improving the quality of life for someone, or
• Contributing to your local community

It's a very satisfying experience and can contribute towards building self esteem and self worth. It is also valued by employers and education/training organisations, and is an opportunity to make new friends and meet new people too.

Lancaster City Council volunteering opportunities

• Organise or take part in community litter picks
• Become a member of a park friends group – email: customerservices@lancaster.gov.uk
• Help at festivals and events - contact Help Direct

Neighbourliness is also a type of volunteering

You can play a greater role in your community by:

• Becoming a county, city or parish councillor
• Keeping outside your house and your street clean and tidy
• Reporting – dog fouling, litter, incidents, graffiti and fly tipping - email: customerservices@lancaster.gov.uk
• Nominating and support a street pride event in your area
• Setting up a community newsletter, web page, facebook page for your community
• Becoming part of your local neighbourhood watch scheme
• Get involved in your area policing
• Having your say on issues in your area.

Help Direct

If you want to become a volunteer, or if you would like to submit a call for volunteers, please visit the Help Direct website for Lancaster, Chorley and West Lancashire.  You can view different placements on the website.  Or ring them on 0303 333 1111 where they will do their best to signpost people to an appropriate organisation who might be able to help.

Help Direct is a support and information service for all adults aged 18 and over across Lancashire.

Help Direct launched in November 2008 as a service commissioned by Lancashire County Council and is an investment to help build and link community-based preventative and wellbeing services.

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions (LDCVS)

Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions supports and promotes the work of local voluntary and community organisations and supports volunteering in the following ways:

• Hosting an annual Volunteer Achievement Awards. Held in June, this is the only event of its kind held in the District and is an invaluable opportunity for local groups to celebrate the commitment and dedication of their volunteers and promote voluntary work in the community, as well as providing guests and nominees with the opportunity to meet and share their experiences.
• Facilitating a Volunteer Co-ordinators Network.
• Offering advice and information with policies around volunteering
• Offering training for volunteers
• Publishing a comprehensive, up-to-date list of voluntary, community and faith sector organisations in the District.
• Keeping members updated with a email newsletter, and administering some small grant funds for community organisations.

Do-it: volunteering made easy

Go to www.do-it.org.uk to find the easiest way to be involved in volunteering.

Every 45 seconds someone in the UK finds a volunteering opportunity thanks to Do-it. That means every year they're enabling hundreds of thousands of people to help out in their local communities up and down the country.