Volunteering during the coronavirus crisis

Volunteering during the coronavirus crisis

[We’re carefully adapting our services and delivery in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis: read our latest e-newsletters to find out more.]

It’s been uplifting to see the way communities have responded to the crisis, across the world, and in our brilliant Brum.

Here is the latest NCVO guidance on safe volunteering, in line with current government rules.

And here is a government factsheet on safeguarding for community volunteers during the COVID-19 outbreak.

If you’re keen to help as an individual, and can safely do so, you can sign up to be an NHS Volunteer Responder. Under the GoodSAM campaign you can opt to provide transport for patients, collect and deliver shopping and medication, or transport NHS supplies. Even when isolating there may be ways to help – for example by making phonecalls to vulnerable people also in isolation. Find out more.

The Active Wellbeing Society has responded to the coronavirus crisis with its #BrumTogether campaign. TAWS is working with other organisations across Birmingham to distribute food and provide comfort and support to people in need. You can find out more and sign up, either as an individual or as a group at theaws.co.uk/coronavirus.

Here’s a new website – Sutton Coldfield Together – produced by multiple organisations, focusing on ways to give and get community support. Voluntary and community groups can get further advice on delivering support and accessing resources via the Sutton Coldfield Neighbourhood Network Scheme. Email NNS@ageconcernbirmingham.org.uk.

The Small Charities Coalition has published a list of mutual aid groups in each area of the UK.

Housing and social care provider Accord Group is also looking to bolster its stable of volunteers. If interested please email dee.kumari@accordgroup.org.uk.