How VCH is working with local organisations and groups

We have a rich community and voluntary sector in Hackney and many of our local organisations work with some of our most “hard to reach” groups who often face additional barriers in accessing support.

These include, but are not limited to, our homeless population, people with long term health conditions, disabled people including people with mental health needs, people with English as a second language and migrant and refugee groups. If you would like to find out information on local services who may be able to help, please go to www.hcvs.org.uk and Hackney Council’s website.

As Volunteer Centre Hackney:

• We are working hard together with our local partners including Hackney CVS and Hackney Council, community organisations and groups to identify volunteer roles that are needed across the borough. 
  
• Hackney Council are dealing with referrals for help e.g. prescription deliveries, shopping deliveries via this link and their telephone line. These are then sent to the most appropriate agency, which could include VCH.

• We have devised a simple registration process to help us match volunteers quickly and safely. We have received over 1000 registrations, so please remember it may take some time to get back to you.
  
• We have put in place a screening process to help safeguard service users. This includes obtaining their current DBS wherever possible, and visual ID and address checks via Zoom. Many of the volunteer roles currently needed do not require new DBS checks. Please see here for more information.
  
• We are linking volunteers with existing services, and supporting individuals and organisations around training and safeguarding.  We are currently working on guidance and training specifically in supporting services users with mental health support needs. 

Please support us in this work so we can reach as many people in our borough who need our collective support. 

If you are an organisation in need of volunteers at this time, please email info@vchackney.org with ORGANISATION NEEDING VOLUNTEERS in the subject line.  We will then be in touch to ask some questions to help able to match your role with some of the many 100s of Hackney residents who are keen to offer their time and support in this emergency.

We will be sharing upcoming volunteer roles shortly, and remain here as a resource  for you in terms of guidance and good practice for managing and supporting volunteers safely. We will be publishing links of useful information, so please bookmark our homepage where we will flag up any resources that may be helpful for you.

We’re happy to answer any questions you may have, so please contact us at info@vchackney.org at any time.