Volunteering is the giving of unpaid help and a commitment of time and energy by individuals for the benefit of society, the community or the environment.
We support and promote all types of volunteering and hold our annual Cheering Volunteering awards celebration event for all of our volunteers in Central Bedfordshire every year.
How do I get involved in formal volunteering?
Community Voluntary Service (CVS) (link opens in new window) and Community Action Bedfordshire (link opens in new window) run volunteer centre services in Central Bedfordshire. They work with individuals and organisations to promote and develop volunteering so people are inspired to volunteer, have the opportunity to do so, and have excellent volunteering experiences.
Voluntary Works (link opens in new window) is a consortium of local voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations working to promote and support the sector in Central Bedfordshire.
We recognise the value of volunteering and the benefits volunteers bring to people’s quality of life.
We also recognise the contribution volunteers make to the economic, environmental and social life of the area. A Volunteering Strategy (PDF 587.1KB) is essential to ensure that people willing to volunteer do so in a nurturing and supportive environment.
The Volunteering Strategy promotes volunteering, social action and communities doing more for themselves.
In Central Bedfordshire volunteers of all ages add great value to the delivery of many local services (delivered by the public, voluntary and community sectors), which many vulnerable people are dependent upon.
The Volunteering Strategy gives direction to supporting the demand for and supply of volunteers in areas such as health, social care, the environment, sport, the arts, education and learning, provision of information and advice services, housing, youth work, community development, community transport and many others.
We have prepared a Volunteering Portfolio (PDF 523.8KB) to collate information about how we are supporting and encouraging volunteering.