Council help for volunteering (Islington Liberal Democrats)

Islington Liberal Democrats <Islington_ld@cix.co.uk>

Council help for volunteering

February 3, 2009 10:45 AM

Councillor Lucy Watt with Vince Cable MP

Councillor Lucy Watt with Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable MP

Islington's Liberal Democrat council has announced plans to help local unemployed people in Islington find voluntary work whilst they look for jobs.

The scheme put forward by Islington's Liberal Democrats will encourage local people who have recently become redundant to help voluntary organisations and add the experience to their CV.

At a recent meeting of the Islington Strategic Partnership, Cllr Watt called on Islington Voluntary Action Council, Jobcentre Plus, and City & Islington College to advertise opportunities to volunteer in Islington to people who have recently lost their jobs.

The Lib Dem council will now:

produce a leaflet to be handed out at Job Centres, doctor's surgeries and in Council buildings explaining how people can take up local volunteering opportunities.
put up on the Council's website advice on where people can volunteer, short courses to learn new skills and what help is available to find jobs.
work with the NHS Primary Care Trust to look at ways of using volunteering to deter the onset of mental health issues, often triggered by redundancy and unemployment.

Cllr Lucy Watt, Deputy Leader and Lib Dem Executive Member for Business, Communities and Skills, commented:

"I am urging people who find themselves out of work over the coming months not to just sit at home, feeling anxious and isolated, but to use the opportunity to give something back to their local community, through projects that could really benefit from their professional skills.

"There are so many ways to get involved. You could work with young people making films, to supporting mental health service users on a music project, become a school governor or by becoming a trustee of a local voluntary group."

Anyone interested in volunteering can find opportunities online at:

http://www.do-it.org.uk/