DCA News from the Groups

Portland Volunteer Vacancies – January 2015

A GREAT TIME TO START SOMETHING NEW!

Island Community Action is seeking 10 people to fill the last remaining places on an exciting new volunteer program designed to help local people make a difference to their community.

This is a free opportunity, open to anyone within Weymouth & Portland, who has a real passion for their local community and wants to make a difference.

Kicking off in February 2015 with an introductory weekend, the six month program offers a fantastic training package, which has been designed to build your confidence, communication, listening and analytical skills and also enable you to feel more connected to and able to support your community.

After the initial induction weekend, the remaining elements of this volunteer program can be completed flexibly to fit around busy work and family lives. In total it requires just two hours commitment a fortnight.

As the program progresses, you will use your newly acquired skills to work through a simple conversation, initially with your friends, family and neighbours, before engaging with the local community. Throughout this period you will learn about the issues that are really important to local people and what ideas and solutions they have to combat these. 

The program evolved from Community Organising, a growing national movement that originated in America. In fact, Barrack Obama started his career as a Community Organiser. So, by joining us as a volunteer you will not only follow in some pretty impressive footsteps, you will also play an important part in a growing network of over 3,300 individuals working to improve the areas they live in and get local voices heard.

Volunteering is already recognised as a great way of keeping your CV current, meeting new people, socialising, expanding your skills and knowledge or just simply ‘giving something back.’  In fact, in the local area some of the most vulnerable people have gained success and national recognition as volunteers using this technique to take decisive and collective action across a range of projects.

Why not do something great in 2015 for yourself and your community?  We feel confident our new volunteers will achieve great things, feel a huge amount of personal satisfaction and help Weymouth & Portland reach its full potential as an amazing place to live.

For more information, contact islandcommunityaction@btconnect.com or speak to Bill or Katy on 01305 823789. A free crèche, provided by AbracaDeborah Day Nursery will be available for children aged 2+ for both the induction and the mid-course get together weekends