7 August 2020

Does your organisation host events regularly?  Are you making plans for events next year?  Will you need volunteers help to make these happen?  Then this FREE advice service* is for you! As the lead organisation for volunteering across Northern Ireland, Volunteer Now has been involved in recruiting, training, managing and motivating volunteers at events since […]

5 August 2020

Join Us! An opportunity to network and share! Volunteer Now has organised a Members’ Check In & Chat session. Join us on Thursday 20 August 2020, 11am-12pm An informal session, just bring your cuppa!  You can tell us how you and your volunteers are doing and we will explore some ideas about what we can […]

29 July 2020

Helping the Helpers – Running effective telephone support through the involvement of volunteers Thursday 6 August 2020  |  11am-12pm Volunteer Now is delighted to be partnering with Change Your Mind and Inspire to deliver this webinar. WHO FOR?  The webinar is aimed at organisations that are supporting volunteers who are making or receiving calls with […]

23 July 2020

Young people from Turf Lodge have dedicated their free time over the past few weeks to the area, and took part in a community wide clean up on Tuesday. With the help of local political representatives, youth workers and residents, Upper Springfield Youth Team painted over graffiti, lifted rubbish on their streets and removed overgrown […]

22 July 2020

We now have a dedicated page for all our Recorded Webinars!  These webinars cover many topics in relation to volunteering and volunteer involving organisations i.e. involving volunteers in response to COVID-19, youth volunteering, fundraising, volunteer driving, guidelines for volunteers & more! View the page here.

22 July 2020

On behalf of the Department for Communities (DfC), Co-operation Ireland announces the opening of the 2020/21 Small Capital Grants Programme for Northern Ireland. The Programme, which has a total fund of £800,000, is aimed at assisting voluntary and community organisations purchase items of equipment to enhance and sustain the activities and services they provide to […]

10 July 2020

7 July 2020

Join us for the first in a series of sessions on Volunteer Now’s new online platform ‘Be Collective’: Introduction to Be Collective, Registering as  New User and Creating Your Own Personal Profile Thursday 9 July 2020 11.00am-12.00pm Volunteer Now is thrilled to have officially launched our new volunteering opportunity search portal in conjunction with the […]

7 July 2020

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest civil Award given to local volunteer groups across the UK to recognise outstanding work done in their own communities.  It is the MBE for volunteer groups.  Any group doing volunteer work that provides a social, economic or environmental service to the local community can be nominated […]

2 July 2020

Calling all groups funded by the Arts Council NI – Volunteer Now can undertake a review of your safeguarding policy and provide training! For more information check out this video by our Training and Development Officer Roisin Timlin: Contact Roisin by email – roisin.timlin@volunteernow.co.uk

2 July 2020

Three young people from Northern Ireland have each won a prestigious award for their fundraising efforts and work in their local communities. Congratulations to Ben Mooney from Bangor, one of our Youth Forum members and a Millennium Volunteer awardee!   And Congratulations to the other two awardees as well – Jamie Harkin from Omagh, was also […]

30 June 2020

An Open Letter to Senior Managers & Boards of Volunteer Involving & Deploying Organisations in all Sectors The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented.  Organisations of all types – charities, small and large businesses, and public sector bodies – have been challenged in delivering their core services.  Few have escaped the financial, operational, […]

29 June 2020

A special COVID-19 related series of Volunteer Now Members’ Sessions to look at volunteering across a series of themes started on 14 May with Rethinking Volunteering in Charity Shops Post COVID-19.  The following sessions were: Rethinking Volunteering in One-to-One and Group Support Roles Post COVID-19 Rethinking Youth Volunteering in LIght of COVID-19 (view recording here) Rethinking Volunteering in Environmental […]

29 June 2020

Developed in conjuction with Volunteer Now Enterprises Ltd and Volunteer Ireland, this Level 9 course is delivered by St. Angela’s College, Sligo and awarded by NUI Galway.  For 2020/21 this course is being offered online and applications are welcome from applicants from Northern Ireland, Ireland and overseas. If you are interested in finding out more about […]

26 June 2020

Mind My MS are launching nine MS Connect Cafes through Mid & East Antrim and need volunteers to help.  These monthly cafes are informal gatherings where people living with MS can meet in a relaxed and friendly environment.  It’s an opportunity to make connections, support one another and have a coffee together. They are looking […]

23 June 2020

The Centre for Lifelong Learning at St Angela’s College, Sligo in partnership with Volunteer Now and Volunteer Ireland has worked on the design of a programme for the volunteer management sector. This Postgraduate Certificate in Volunteer Leadership and Management aims to introduce volunteer management within the context of effective volunteer resource planning, strategic operations, communications, leadership skills, governance and compliance. By meeting volunteer […]

22 June 2020

Volunteer Now was delighted to get an update from one of the companies involved in our Employer Supported Volunteering programme.   Last October Calvert Office Equipment had responded to an ask from the Renal Unit of Belfast City Hospital, to create a garden area which could be used by patients, staff and visitors.  Before Christmas they […]

17 June 2020

Women’s Aid have launched a NEW web chat service for women suffering domestic abuse. The web chat will allow women to access immediate support and referral to lifesaving, crisis accommodation and outreach services, without having to pick up the phone. Initiated by Belfast and Lisburn Women’s Aid along with Foyle Women’s Aid, the service comes […]

16 June 2020

As we are living in the middle of a pandemic, volunteering has changed.  Join Volunteer Now Enterprises Ltd for a short session looking at volunteering during the pandemic and the future of volunteering post COVID-19. Date:  Wednesday 1 July 2020 Time:  10.00 – 11.30am Cost:  £5 +VAT Book your place here.  Joining information will be sent […]

15 June 2020

PLEASE NOTE THIS WEBINAR IN NOW FULLY BOOKED This FREE webinar will offer you advice and guidance about your role, your safety and the safety of others.  It will be followed by a Question & Answer session. Date:  Tuesday 30 June 2020 Time:  11am-12pm

15 June 2020

A special COVID-19 related series of Volunteer Now Members’ Sessions to look at volunteering across a series of themes started on 14 May with Rethinking Volunteering in Charity Shops Post COVID-19.  The following sessions were: Rethinking Volunteering in One-to-One and Group Support Roles Post COVID-19 Rethinking Youth Volunteering in LIght of COVID-19 (view recording here) Rethinking Volunteering in Environmental […]

15 June 2020

Positive Emotional Wellbeing Boxes filled with 7 days of fun activities and resources, are helping make a difference to some of the most vulnerable young people across Mid and East Antrim during Loneliness Awareness Week. The boxes, made by locally based company Fresh Minds Education, an innovate social enterprise who develop emotional wellbeing resources, products […]

15 June 2020

Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2020.  A day which aims to increase the awareness of abuse of older people.  And the action required to prevent it and stop it where it occurs. We at Volunteer Now have signed a declaration which outlines our committment to safeguard the older people we work with and […]

11 June 2020

A special COVID-19 related series of Volunteer Now Members’ Sessions to look at volunteering across a series of themes started on 14 May with Rethinking Volunteering in Charity Shops Post COVID-19.  The following sessions were: Rethinking Volunteering in One-to-One and Group Support Roles Post COVID-19 Rethinking Youth Volunteering in LIght of COVID-19 (view recording here) Rethinking Volunteering in Environmental […]

10 June 2020

Helping the Helpers – Running effective telephone support through the involvement of volunteers Wednesday 24 June 2020  |  11am-12pm Volunteer Now is delighted to be partnering with Change Your Mind and Inspire to deliver this webinar. WHO FOR?  The webinar is aimed at organisations that are supporting volunteers who are making or receiving calls with […]

9 June 2020

On Monday 8 June, People 1st International launched WorldHost 2020, a bite-sized e-learning module which extends the globally recognised WorldHost customer service programme, to help businesses to maintain a positive reputation and increase customer confidence post Covid-19. Customer facing industries across the world have been severely impacted by Covid-19, with businesses having to close their […]

9 June 2020

BBC NI have highlighted three of our volunteers who are currently involved in the #HelpEachOther campaign.  The article includes interviews with Tanya Rosen who shops for her neighbour, Sharon Neill who is a telephone befriender and Nick Menhinick who is busy hosting bingo sessions on Zoom and making dozens of calls a day. Read their stories here https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-52892368.

5 June 2020

The new Mayor of Mid & East Antrim Borough Council, Councillor Peter Johnston is calling for nominations of local volunteers, charities and organisations who have in some way helped during Covid-19 so he can recognise their support. “I will present those who are nominated with a certificate of recognition for their dedication to helping others during […]

4 June 2020

New Lord Mayor of Belfast, Alderman Frank McCoubrey has joined the Volunteers’ Week celebrations by taking #TimeToSayThankYou to people volunteering across the city during these unprecedented times. Alderman McCoubrey said he had been heartened by the fantastic work being done in the city, and is encouraging everyone to continue with their great work through these […]

4 June 2020

A special COVID-19 related series of Volunteer Now Members’ Sessions to look at volunteering across a series of themes started on 14 May with Rethinking Volunteering in Charity Shops Post COVID-19.  The following sessions were: Rethinking Volunteering in One-to-One and Group Support Roles Post COVID-19 Rethinking Youth Volunteering in LIght of COVID-19 (view recording here) Rethinking Volunteering in Environmental […]