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What volunteering looks like at Equal Lives
Thank you for taking an interest in volunteering with Equal Lives. It's thanks to people like you that we're able to achieve the great work we do!
Email us at volunteers@equallives.org.uk to find out more about volunteering at Equal Lives.
Volunteering and Covid-19
We know that the volunteering journey has changed a lot since the pandemic. That’s why at Equal Lives we’ve worked hard to ensure a safe working environment for all our volunteers. Some volunteer roles have now been facilitated to be remote, rather than site based, to remove the anxiety that comes with working in an environment other than your home. We’ve also moved most of our meetings onto Teams and most volunteer training now takes place online.
We encourage you to use your own laptop or computer for your role, unless you’re based at the office or Shopmobility. If you’d like any more details about how we’re making volunteering safe in a Covid facing world, please feel free to ask!
Advice and Membership
This is a very busy department as it covers a wide range of issues that affect disabled people, including providing advice on how to access different services, or how to make a complaint. We also provide support and engage with disabled people in Norfolk who are experiencing barriers to their independence, as well as advising and supporting people within the Norwich and Broadland Social Prescribing service, of which we are a partner organisation.
To volunteer in this department, you will likely have a good understanding of disability-related barriers, have some basic computer skills and be empathetic. You could help people to complete their benefits applications, support them via phone questionnaires and much more.
Email - volunteers@equallives.org.uk
Business Development
Responsible for marketing, membership, fundraising and communications - the Development Team is central to the organisation.
It's a small but busy team, and they're always working on something new.
To volunteer in this department, you will likely be friendly and energetic, have a good understanding of how to use social media, be enthusiastic and be willing to learn.
Email - volunteers@equallives.org.uk
Business Support
An integral team to keep the charity running smoothly. Business support covers everything from internal finance to health and safety, volunteer management to Shopmobility. If it has something to do with the day to day workings of the organisation then it’s likely that it’s based here.
We’re looking for volunteers for Shopmobility for this team, so if you’re interested then feel free to get in touch.
Email - volunteers@equallives.org.uk
Payroll and Finance
The payroll team are busy every week, running payroll for customers who have a direct payment or those who employ their own Personal Assistant.
To help out you could come into the office and support with admin, finance tasks and supporting the team with general responsibilities. To do this role you will need to be reliable, have excellent attention to detail and be okay with working with numbers.
Email - volunteers@equallives.org.uk
Suffolk Independent Living
Based in Ipswich, Suffolk - the SIL (Suffolk Independent Living) team support people who have a Direct Payment.
Support you could give this team could involve help picking up the phones during busier times, helping with admin in the office and assisting them to post jobs onto their social media for people who are recruiting their own Personal Assistant.
Email - volunteers@equallives.org.uk
Join as a Trustee
Trustees govern our organisation and help to direct and steer our services.
As a trustee, you'll need to be passionate about the rights of disabled people and have ‘lived’ experience of disability.
You will need to be flexible and attend monthly meetings over Teams.
To enquire about becoming a trustee please email Abbie Kendall, on:
Shopmobility
As mentioned, Shopmobility is a scheme which sits under the Business Support team. It’s a scheme that supports people to hire mobility scooters or other mobility aids, free of charge, during their visit to the city.
There will be several opportunities to volunteer and build your skills, meet new people, and feel more confident!
The Shopmobility Service will be open:
Tuesday – Friday 09:00 – 16:00
We will need volunteers to support us:
Tuesday – Friday 08:30 -16:30
On a day to day basis, the volunteers will:
· Open the site ready for business, and close at the end of the day
· Greet customers and support them to rent the equipment
· Keep the site clean and tidy
· Clean vehicles when they’re returned
· Support people to sign up as members
· Support people to join Equal Lives as members
· Take future bookings
Sound interesting? Contact us on volunteers@equallives.org.uk or call 01508 491210