Volunteers’ Week is an annual celebration of the contribution volunteers make to our communities. Charities and organisations, big or small, mark the week with events, activities and talks - all in effort to thank those who give their time to help others.
Each day of Volunteers’ Week is marked with a new theme, from the ‘power of youth’ to ‘the big lunch’. This year, the focus of many events will be on volunteers during the pandemic - each days theme acting as a catalyst for discussion about crisis response, along with a broader conversation about giving.
Each day’s themes are as follows:
- Tuesday 1 June: Volunteers’ Week launch – a time to say thanks
- Wednesday 2 June: Power of youth day
- Thursday 3 June: Employer supported and skilled volunteering day
- Friday 4 June: Home nations day
- Saturday 5 June: Environment and conservation day
- Sunday 6 June: The big lunch
- Monday 7 June: Volunteers’ week close – a time to say thanks
So, why volunteer?
Volunteering your time to help other people is one of the most obvious ways to 'Give' - one of the five ways to wellbeing. It can include a huge number of activities from litter-picking and working in a charity shop, to being a charity trustee or befriending someone at risk of social isolation.
West Sussex Mind volunteer, Tanya, explains why she enjoys giving back.
“I’ve met so many amazing people through volunteering with West Sussex Mind, some people who I think I would have never come across if I had not volunteered. It’s been a really valuable experience learning from everyone’s different experiences (and) different expertise, whilst having fun and really doing a positive thing in our local community."
Pathfinder organisations offer a wide range of volunteering opportunities to suit people who are thinking of offering some of their time to help their communities. Below you'll find links to the relevant pages:
If you’re interested in volunteering, below is a list of Pathfinder organisations currently recruiting volunteers. Click/tap on their name to learn more
Brighton Housing Trust (formerly Sussex Oakleaf)
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT)
The Volunteers' Week website is managed by NCVO (the National Council for Voluntary Organisations). You can read more about its work here.
