Volunteering
Experience Boost
Interested in meeting new people, learning new skills, or building on ones you already have? Why not volunteer with us?
We offer tailored training for adults, preparing them for successful volunteering and gaining work experience. Collaborating with esteemed partners connects volunteers with organizations in South Tyneside.
How it works:
- Providing essential skills, awareness, and knowledge.
- Elevating volunteer skills to set high standards.
- Developing existing skills and gain new ones for life and work.
- Enhancing your CV.
- Boosting community involvement.
- Building a network within the community.
Purpose: To be the welcoming face of the charity and manage the day-to-day flow of the building.
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Visitor Welcome: Greeting all visitors and ensuring they sign in correctly.
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Room Facilities: Keeping our hireable rooms (meeting rooms, training suites, and offices) tidy and "client-ready" with the necessary furniture or equipment.
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Financial Tasks: Handling petty cash as required and processing payments for client printing/photocopying.
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Communication: Answering the phone, taking messages, and assisting with basic admin like filing or post.
Job Club
Purpose: To support local job seekers throughout their search journey by helping them find job opportunities, build digital confidence, and prepare application materials in a welcoming environment.
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Job Search & Application Support: Assisting attendees to search online job boards, set up user profiles, and navigate online application processes smoothly.
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CV & Interview Guidance: Helping participants draft, update, and format CVs and cover letters, and offering informal interview preparation to build confidence.
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Safety & Confidentiality: Respecting participants' personal data, following basic IT safety, and reporting any safeguarding concerns to the Volunteer Coordinator or DSL.
Chat & Craft
Purpose: This group is designed to empower individuals, fostering a sense of confidence, improving mental well-being, and equipping participants with valuable skills. Being part of this group not only provides the benefits of social connection and enhanced communication skills, but also contributes to the overall goal of securing employment.
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Group Facilitation: Welcoming participants, helping to set up craft materials, and encouraging friendly conversation to make everyone feel included.
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Skill Sharing: Assisting participants with basic craft projects, sharing ideas, and helping them build confidence in their creative abilities.
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Safety & Environment: Ensuring the crafting area is kept tidy, materials are stored safely, and reporting any hazards or safeguarding concerns immediately to staff.
IT Course Assistant
Purpose: To support service users in gaining digital confidence.
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Technical Support: Helping users with basic tasks like emails, searching the web, or using tablets.
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Class Assistance: "Roving" the room during courses to provide 1-to-1 help for those who need that help.
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Data Privacy: Ensuring you do not record any sensitive personal information while helping a user on their device.
Men's Pie Club
Purpose: To support a welcoming, informal space where men can come together to bake pies, chat, build friendships, and help tackle social isolation in our community.
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Session Support: Working alongside the group to help set up ingredients and equipment before the session, and joining in with everyone to tidy up and wash up afterward.
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Social Engagement: Chatting with attendees, helping to create a relaxed, friendly, and non-judgmental atmosphere, and ensuring everyone feels included in the group.
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Safety & Hygiene: Following basic food hygiene standards, using kitchen equipment safely, and reporting any faulty equipment or safety hazards to the Volunteer Coordinator.
Gardening
Purpose: To maintain our outdoor spaces as a safe and pleasant environment.
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Maintenance: General weeding, pruning, and ensuring paths are clear of trip hazards.
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Safety: Using correct posture for lifting and only using tools you have been briefed on.
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Reporting: Letting the Volunteer Coordinator know if any equipment is broken or if you spot a hazard.
Quotes From Some Volunteers
I came to Action Station via the job. centre, after suffering with depression and anxiety. From the moment I walked through the door, I was made to feel welcome, during my time here I have been encouraged by staff and other volunteers to participate in some of the many courses on offer, which I did!! (A huge step for me) By doing this it has boosted my confidence and self esteem immensely, I have learned a lot of new skills and made lots of friends. Apart from the advantages for myself personally, I feel I am doing good for others and the community.
I started volunteering at Action Station library a year and half ago. Since then, I have been part of the Volunteer Development Program and as a 20yr old this training program has helped me with my personal and career development. Action station staff and employment team encouraged me to look at a scholarship that might be good for me, so they helped me as much as they could, like providing me with references. Even though at that time it seemed impossible as I am an asylum seeker. But here I am now, a Newcastle University student with full scholarship in micro mechanics. I enjoyed every minute volunteering and the training, thank you so much for everything.
I was made redundance from a gardening project at the age of 60. I came to Action Station library to do a Job search. A member of staff asked if I would like to volunteer in the library? Feeling a bit unsure and lacking in confidence as if I hadn’t done anything like that before. However, the staff were wonderful and very supportive with me. I have attended several training programmes which have totally enlightened me to the skills I have. I am now a team leader in the Gardening Project and enjoying sharing my skills with others of similar interest. I’m not sure if I will get another paid job before retirement age, but the volunteering has definitely helped me with my mental health, build my confidence and I enjoy socialising with others.
I came here from the Job Centre to up skills and get some training. Since then, I have been diagnosed with a number of health conditions which hinders me to get paid work. Volunteering here has helped me to overcome quite a lot of my problems I had with mental health. I enjoy working on reception as I can work at a slower pace and the staff are really supportive. The training I have received is great especially the IT as I now can input data on the computer. I also enjoyed the 1st Aid and fire awareness training as it has made me more aware.”