I need volunteers

We have been providing a valued and successful service in the city for over 20 years. We take enquiries from hundreds of potential volunteers and we work with hundreds of organisations that offer high quality opportunities for volunteers.

What we're aiming to do

We're here to increase the number of people volunteering in the city. We particularly want to encourage people who are normally excluded from volunteering.

How we do it

We promote volunteering and provide information and advice to people who want to volunteer.

We collect information from volunteer involving organisations about opportunities they have, we then share this with people who want to volunteer.

We also support organisations who use volunteers so they can be successful in getting and keeping volunteers.

What we offer volunteer involving organisations

The chance to register your opportunities on our database of volunteering in Derby. This is used by the whole team so that we can give information to the potential volunteers we work with. We then
pass on details of potential volunteers we see or speak to who are interested in your opportunities.

Your opportunity advertised free on the website www.do-it.org.uk the only national volunteering database. We receive around 1,000 enquiries a year from this site.

The chance for your opportunity to be advertised in the local press, radio and on Derby's Big Screen in the Market Place.

The Volunteer Co-ordinators Forum which we hold every two months at Community Action. The meetings are an opportunity to network and to get support and share information. They include workshops,
discussion topics on volunteering and good practice, members determine the content and structure. See news and events for current programme.

Advice and information on volunteer management. This includes where to get training, examples of policies and good practice, getting money for volunteer management and what's happening on the
regional and national scene.

An information source for you to refer volunteers to, especially if you can't offer them a suitable opportunity.

What are your responsibilities?

You need to register with us and keep us up to date with information on volunteering opportunities you have. The information we collect helps volunteers get all the details they need. You can download our New Organisation Registration form and Opportunity Registration form by clicking here.You'll need to screen volunteers according to your recruitment policy. We do not take references or do disclosures (CRB checks). We can advise you on interviewing, selecting and screening volunteers.

You do not have to take on the volunteer we refer to you. If they are not suited to the opportunity please refer them back to us so we can make sure they still get to volunteer.

You need to share our commitment to increasing diversity and challenging any sort of discrimination or barriers that may stop people getting involved.

You need to make sure you meet your legal responsibilities, for example your insurance for volunteers and health and safety requirements.

How do we keep in contact?

Call us on 01332 342272.

Email us at: Please click to email.

Pop in and see us at Volunteer Centre, 4 Charnwood Street, Derby.

Or you can write for free to

Volunteer Centre Derby, Freepost RSCU-XSAT-CJLL, Community Action Derby, 4 Charnwood Street, Derby  DE1 2GT

Good Practice resources

We have a number of information sheets which you can read and download on our Working with Volunteers  - Good Practice page. We can also send them to you on request. If you require any further information, then please contact us on the details above.

If you specifically want help with volunteer management issues or guidance on current best practice then please contact our Volunteer Development Co-ordinator Simon Hancox on 01332 227718 or email