What is a Volunteer Centre?

Your local Volunteer Centre works with people who are interested in volunteering and with organisations using volunteers to promote and develop volunteering.

Your volunteer centre is the place to find out about local volunteering opportunities.  We can offer you a free, confidential and informal appointment where our advisers can provide information and guidance on any aspect of volunteering.

''The service you provide is very professional and thorough.  Your staff couldn't have been more helpful.''

If you want to know more about what we do click here to download our leaflet, So You Want To Volunteer?

Why Volunteer?

“Becoming a volunteer is a great way to gain new skills and meet new people.  Whether you’re looking to improve your employment prospects or just want to help out in the community, volunteering can help you!

We have around 200 voluntary opportunities on our database, supporting non-profit organisations in the local area. Here are just a few examples of the type of activity you can get involved in:

• Administration
• Fundraising
• Charity shops
• Trusteeship
• Driving
• Disability
• Children & Young People

Before you apply online or book an appointment, it’s worth thinking about what sort of opportunity you would like to do. How do you see it benefiting you? How many hours can you give a week? How will you get there? What length of commitment can you give?

Most (but not all) organisations can pay travel expenses to help you get there. Many are also flexible regarding the hours you can volunteer, although how much depends on the role in question.

Did you know? You can include voluntary work in your CV. Voluntary organisations are often happy to provide references for volunteers as well!”

Contact details:

Our offices are open to the public from 9:30 am to 4.30 pm.  You can contact us by telephone, email or post or come into the office at VAL.

Iris Beazley - Volunteer Centre Manager or
Philip Brown  - Volunteer Centre Officer

Volunteer Centre, Luton
Voluntary Action Luton
15 New Bedford Road
Luton    LU1 1SA

Tel:01582 733418
Fax:01582 733013
Email:iris.beazley@valuton.org.uk or philip@valuton.org.uk

All our services are free and confidential

What If Things Go Wrong

We try our hardest to offer the best service possible to volunteers and organisations.  Inevitably, things go wrong from time to time. 

Unless we hear from you ASAP, we will not know that this is the case.  If this does happen, please let us know and give us the opportunity to put things right.

If you are still, not satisfied with the service you have received from us, please do not hesitate to ask for a copy of our complaints procedure.

Use Your Life Skills to Help Run a Local Voluntary Organisation.

Become a Trustee!

Charities and community organisations across Luton need trustees like you! Along with the Governance Hub, Charity Commission and Volunteering England, Voluntary Action Luton have launched the Get on Board campaign to raise the profile of trusteeship, bringing in a new generation of trustees.

Many local voluntary organisations are crying out for volunteers with professional expertise, management and other life skills.

What is a Trustee?

Trustees are the people responsible for ensuring that an organisation has a clear strategy’ that it remains true to its original vision that it complies with all the necessary rules and legal obligations.

Charity and community organisation trustees help to ensure that organisation run professionally and proficiently.

Trustees have a number of formal roles and responsibilities which include appointing key people and keeping a check on the organisation’s finances and activities.

What’s in it For Me?

The benefits of volunteering are well known.  Volunteering will help you to:

• Share your skills
• Help the community
• Develop a personal interest
• Improve yours self confidence
• Gain useful experience
• Learn new skills
• Access training and qualifications
• Relieve boredom
• Enhance your CV
• Get additional work experience
• Make friends and enjoy yourself

Becoming a trustee is just another way of volunteering and giving you time to the community.

Trusteeship is a great way to make a significant difference to a charity or cause you care about.

Charity and community organisation boards need people with a wide range of expertise and backgrounds. If you have personal experience of the issues a charity tackles or are part of the community it works in, have professional, management or other life skills and experience, then you have a unique combination of expertise and perspectives to offer.

As a respected and responsible role, it is also a brilliant route to developing new skills, gaining more experience and getting involved with new networks.

It is an excellent way of using the skill and expertise that you have developed through a lifetime’s experience to benefit your community

Your Next Step?

Normally a time commitment of 2-3 hours a month will be sufficient to become a trustee, although there might be times when slightly more may be required.

Voluntary Action Luton (VAL) has been providing advice and support on setting up and running voluntary and community groups in Luton for 30 years.