Volunteering has traditionally been associated with those with time on their hands, retirees being an obvious example.
But new Jewish Volunteering Network chief executive Nicky Goldman is targeting young adults to grow the numbers offering unpaid and vital support to both Jewish charities and organisations in the wider world.
Ms Goldman recognises that some people shy away from volunteering in the erroneous belief that it will necessitate a regular commitment. In response, JVN operates an Ad Hoc Squad, offering one-time options.
“You can have one ad hoc opportunity a year and one training session,” she explained.
The latter is a basic induction to volunteering — “what’s great about it, health and safety, behaviour as a volunteer.
“Ad hoc is very appealing to young people who are time pressed.”
There was also scope for increased involvement among young retirees. “They may have grandparent responsibilities but are looking to use their skills in different ways.”
Volunteers take on tasks ranging from driving and reception duty to befriending and running events and groups at care homes.
She credits the efforts in building up JVN of her predecessor Leonie Lewis, who coincidentally, Ms Goldman also succeeded as Association of Jewish Sixth-Formers’ fieldworker in the early days of her 35-year communal career.
Since then, she has spent almost two decades in leadership development, initially at UJIA and then at Lead, which has successfully partnered with JVN in a trustee development programme — its next conference is sold out with 120 participants.
Practising what she preaches, she has volunteered regularly, mainly within her own synagogue, Bushey United, on activities such as Shabbat UK. She and her husband also host a “really singy” Friday night minyan over the summer period.
JVN places volunteers with charities including Jewish Care, Norwood, Jewish Blind & Disabled and Kisharon. It also helps charities to work more effectively with volunteers.
As an example of its impact, she reported that in the last half of 2018, 60 people looked at volunteering opportunities with Jewish Care through the JVN website. Thirty-two were placed.
“We have team meetings, not staff meetings, because our volunteers are part of the team,” Ms Goldman stressed.
She also highlighted the fact that 20 per cent of JVN’s volunteering placements are outside of the Jewish community, for example, with the North London Hospice, Borehamwood Foodbank and the Caritas Westminster night shelter. “I think it is brilliant that Jewish people are providing a service to the wider community.”
Its volunteering programme over the Christmas period elicited a strong response and, following an approach by the Metropolitan Police, a new involvement is in Turning Point, a scheme to help lower level first time offenders stay out of the criminal justice system.
Although JVN promotes itself through a website, email and social media, Ms Goldman maintained that “the best way of getting people is through word of mouth”.
It will be promoting its activities during National Volunteers’ Week at the beginning of June with events at locations including Brent Cross.
Paramount among the selling points will be the well-being benefits to the volunteers themselves. “You are giving to others but you get so much back.”
