Community Volunteering  

Millennium Volunteers

If you are under 25 you can sign up to become a Millennium volunteer through UNISEX. This is a government scheme designed to acknowledge the achievement and commitment of young people who volunteer. You receive a certificate after 100 hours of volunteering and an award after 200 hours! This may sound like a huge amount of time, but it actually mounts up really fast, especially as you can include travel time to and from where you do you volunteering. Most UNISEX volunteers who have signed up with the MV scheme got their awards within a year - another great addition to your CV!

Project V and @ctive Student - Volunteering Opportunities

If you are interested in other volunteering opportunties in Brighton and Hove, please contact the Project V Bureau at Sussex Uni or @ctive Student at Brighton Uni, located in Falmer House. Here you can discuss volunteering opportunities with a trained adviser who will be able to put you in contact with local organisations.

VOLUNTEERING WITH HIV/AIDS CHARITIES
Volunteering for an HIV charity gives you the opportunity to better understand the problems and issues facing people living with HIV. You can make a huge difference to the lives of people who often have to confront fear, ignorance, prejudice and discrimination simply because they have been infected with a virus.

All projects have excellent training programmes and offer full support to their volunteers. You will be volunteering alongside both paid and unpaid staff in most organisations.

What skills do I need?
You don’t need to know much about HIV to volunteer. The specific knowledge and skills you might require for a volunteer placement will be gained during training. However, important qualities in a volunteer are the same as those you will have developed as a UNISEX volunteer. These include a non-judgemental attitude, an open mind, empathy and an appreciation of the importance of confidentiality.

What Can I Do?
Project V has a wide and varied range of volunteer opportunities in the HIV voluntary sector. Here are some examples:

• Terrence Higgins Trust Volunteers are involved in many areas, including community support, fundraising, campaigning, outreach and counselling
• Brighton Body Positive Volunteers provide support to people affected by HIV/AIDS, including assistance in maintaining new treatments, emotional support and help with the Internet
• The Sussex Beacon Volunteers help to run a day-care and residential unit for people affected by HIV/AIDS, carrying out a variety of tasks including day-care, lunch provision, charity shop assistance, desktop publishing, fundraising, gardening, reception and housekeeping

VOLUNTEERING FOR LGBT CHARITIES
Although the legal status of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people has improved in recent years, LGBT people still constitute a significant minority in our society, and as such often have to deal with prejudice, discrimination, stigma and fear.
Volunteering for an organisation that is used by LGBT people gives you the opportunity to better understand the problems and concerns facing people who are coming to terms with their sexuality or who are looking to meet other people with similar experiences.

All projects in this area have excellent training programmes and offer full support to their volunteers. You will be volunteering alongside both paid and unpaid staff.

What qualities do I need?
Some LGBT organisations specify that their volunteers must identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual. Project V can check this before helping you set up a placement. In addition to this, it is useful for volunteers to have some knowledge of LGBT services and the gay social scene in Brighton and Hove. Other important skills include a non-judgemental attitude, an open mind, an ability to empathise and an appreciation of the importance of confidentiality.

What Can I Do?
Project V has a wide and varied range of volunteer opportunities in the HIV voluntary sector. Here are some examples:

• Allsorts Youth Project: Volunteers help to run a weekly drop-in for young LGBT people under 26. This includes providing information to young people, preparing food, organising and facilitating social activities and away-weekends, running workshops and providing one-to-one support
• Brighton Lesbian and Gay Switchboard: Volunteers work as helpline operators, providing telephone support, a listening and information service, a room-finder directory and counselling

To find out more please drop into ProjectV (Sussex Uni) or @ctive Student (Brighton Uni) bureau.