Volunteer Information Points

Highfield Community Centre
Mike Penning MP launches the VIPs at Highfield and Gadebridge Community Centres and Berkhamsted Sports Centre

If you run a local organisation that involves volunteers, be sure to register with Volunteer Centre Dacorum so that the VIPs have your information!

VOLUNTEER INFORMATION POINTS (VIPs)
MP MIKE GOES POINT TO POINT! MP for Hemel Hempstead, Mike Penning sped between 3 locations on Friday 20th April to launch Volunteer Information Points in Dacorum; the first of their kind in Hertfordshire. Berkhamsted Sports Centre and Gadebridge and Highfield Community Centres provided refreshments at each stopping point, and the event took on many of the characteristics of the Vicar of Dibley's multiple Christmas dinners! Volunteer Centre Dacorum has been working closely with Volunteering England to locate these high-tech units in Dacorum. The 3 venues were keen to be involved and as a result can now provide an extra service for users of their premises. What's more it costs them nothing, as all equipment, internet connections and technical support are provided free! Mike Penning was enthusiastic about the VIPs. As he searched for a task he can complete during Volunteers Week (June 1st - 7th) he said, "I'm sure it will encourage more people to get involved in their local communities. It's great that the Home Office is supporting this initiative." Geoff Lawrence, Chair of Highfield Community Association is also delighted with the VIP which sits in the entrance hall of the Highfield Community Centre. He is involved in a neighbourhood learning project which has a team of volunteers supporting local learners in Internet Cafés. Dave Cove, Chief Executive of Sportspace (Dacorum Sports Trust), could see many advantages to having a VIP in the foyer of the Sports Centre. "It will encourage more people to volunteer in sports activities" he said. "The unit also displays the Sportspace web site with details of our current programmes, so that's very useful too". Maureen Flint, Chair of Gadebridge Community Association, was equally enthusiastic. As a strong supporter of the local voluntary sector she could see many benefits from using modern technology in this way. Heather Allen, Manager of Volunteer Centre Dacorum, explained that the VIPs displayed all local voluntary opportunities. This information came from the Volunteer Centre's own local database which was uploaded to the national volunteering database on do-it.org on a weekly basis. Anyone looking for their ideal voluntary opportunity can search for things they might enjoy just by entering their interests and post code. New volunteers can even register online from the VIP or email the Volunteer Centre for more information. The Volunteer Centre will monitor the interest shown via the VIPS with interest.	Every Volunteer Information Point is free to use and gives access to information on: volunteering opportunities Adviceguide (from Citizens Advice) NHS Direct Running Sports Volunteer Information Points are run by Volunteering England in partnership with local Volunteer Centres, do-it.org and local venues. Their touchscreens use state of the art information and communications technology to bring current information about volunteering, and opportunities to get involved, into the heart of communities. The initiative is supported by the Home Office


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