We've put together a selection of organisations who are seeking volunteers to work with children in a variety of capacities. The opportunities range from weekly activities to summer-long projects, with children with a vast array of needs and backgrounds. Getting involved in this kind of volunteering will help you hone your communication skills, add to your CV, and give you an immensely rewarding experience.
We've developed relationships with all of these organisations, so if you need any help or have some feedback, feel free to contact us by sending us an email or Facebook message.
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Just hover over the following images to read more about each organisation.
GET INVOLVED!
A nationwide charity offering 7 core services to children with disabilities and life threatening or limiting illnesses, these services include:
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Enable Sport- providing sports equipment for competitive sports players
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Speciality equipment provision- wheelchairs, trikes, sensory equipment etc
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STEP- Therapies for cerebral palsy and acquired brain injuries
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ACT- Autistic Children’s therapies
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Treatment- Proton Beam Therapy and SDR for cerebral palsy
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Destination Dreams- funds and organises an annual trip to Disney World for children with life threatening or limiting illnesses
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Family Support volunteers- to provide a 6 week block of volunteering with a family in crisis
The wide range of opportunities on offer will allow you to tailor your volunteering to how much spare time you have.
W I L L O W B A N K H O S T E L
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A challenging and exciting afternoon of playing with the little ones at Willow bank hostel. We are looking for volunteers who enjoy working with kids and can provide them with some fun activities. Activities include baking, sports, cooking, playing games, arts and crafts, face painting..pretty much anything you can think of we will do! Have a great time playing and chatting with the kids, you'll be amazed by how much there is to learn
Willowbank runs on Tuesdays, but we are looking to branch out to hosting it on another day. As we'd be discussing setting up a new group, there would need to be a couple of project leaders who organise the activities and contact volunteers beforehand. If there is enough interest in this there may be the possibility of setting up an additional day weekly.
Contact Manchester University Student Action: all you need to do is sign up to the volunteer hub and start volunteering!
We are the UK's biggest mixed youth organisation. We change lives by offering 6- to 25-year-olds fun and challenging activities, unique experiences, everyday adventure and the chance to help others so that we make a positive impact in communities.
Scouts helps children and young adults reach their full potential. Scouts develop skills including teamwork, time management, leadership, initiative, planning, communication, self-motivation, cultural awareness and commitment. We help young people to get jobs, save lives and even change the world.
Scouts take part in activities as diverse as kayaking, abseiling, expeditions overseas, photography, climbing and zorbing. As a Scout you can learn survival skills, first aid, computer programming, or even how to fly a plane. There’s something for every young person. It’s a great way to have fun, make friends, get outdoors, express your creativity and experience the wider world.
This everyday adventure is possible thanks to our adult volunteers, who support Scouts in a wide range of roles from working directly with young people, to helping manage a Group, to being a charity Trustee. We help volunteers get the most out of their experiences at Scouts by providing opportunities for adventure, training, fun and friendship.
Our award-winning training scheme for volunteers means that adults get as much from Scouts as young people. Our approach focuses on what you want to get out of volunteering with Scouts, while respecting how much time you can offer. Over 90% of Scout volunteers say that their skills and experiences have been useful in their work or personal life.
Greater Manchester Scouts are in need of volunteers and are very flexible in their requirements.
SOME VIDEOS ABOUT THE CHARITIES...
The Newman Holiday Trust has been running for over 30 years providing respite holidays for children with special needs. Each year the volunteer-run charity operates 6 week-long holidays across the country providing stimulating and fun activities in a safe and caring environment.
Each child gets a one to one carer and there are extra volunteers and nurses on hand to provide for all the children’s varying needs. Children may have physical or sensory impairments, learning difficulties, have an autism spectrum condition or a number of complex needs. The charity creates a detailed care plan for each child prior to the holiday with information from schools, social services and from the parents at a home visit. This information means we care for the children to the highest standards. Each year the holidays are inspected by Ofsted (in England) and the Scottish Care Inspectorate (in Scotland) and all holidays have achieved the highest grade in all inspections.
Over the years we have had many medical students as volunteers, most have returned time and again, which means that amongst our volunteer carers we have doctors, GPs, paediatric registrars, and paediatricians, as well as doctors in other specialities. The skills they have learnt during the weeks have helped them immensely in their careers. Having to put the children first at all times gives the volunteers a great sense of empathy, as well as the often creative approach needed to communication, but ultimately the weeks are so fun and rewarding, it is hard not to come back each year.
Every year we need around 180 volunteers to run the holidays. We are looking for kind, caring individuals who are able to put others first and work in a team with our fantastic group of volunteer carers.
Girlguiding is the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK. By volunteering with us, you can help us create amazing opportunities for thousands of girls around the UK.
Guiding happens thanks to more than 100,000 amazing volunteers – men and women like you who give their time to ensure that we are active all over the UK, and beyond.
Girlguiding welcomes volunteers of all backgrounds, ages, cultures, faiths and abilities. We are flexible and volunteering can be arranged to fit around a busy lifestyle. You can volunteer to help out with: Rainbows aged five to seven, Brownies aged seven to ten, Guides aged 10 to 14, The Senior Section aged 14 to 26.
Our incredible volunteers contribute more than ten million hours to guiding every year. Some give us a couple of hours here and there – helping out with driving for trips and holidays, fundraising and events planning, or even doing the annual accounts for local groups. Others give their time as Leaders or Assistant Leaders for units, providing girls and young women with a space where they can be themselves. Whatever your skills and interests, and no matter how much time you have to spare, one of our volunteering rolesis bound to suit you.
In return, we offer everyone support, specialised training and the opportunity to develop new skills, meet new people and have fun. Being a volunteer with Girlguiding also gives you access to a great range of benefits – like free training and resources, as well as a fabulous members’ scheme offering you discounts on high street brands.
Greater Manchester Girlguides are in need of volunteers and are very flexible in their requirements.