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Volunteering Merton
MVSC is committed to supporting and
developing volunteering in Merton. We work
with organisations to develop and match the
skills and interests of new volunteers to
volunteering opportunities.
Working closely with voluntary, community
organisations, public sector and local groups we
led on campaigns to raise awareness of
volunteering, to gain recognition for the
contribution of volunteers and to highlight issues
that affect volunteers. We held the successful
Merton Partnership Volunteer Awards to
recognise those individuals who gave their time
and the organisations that supported them. We
also organised a Trustee Networking Evening for
those interested in becoming a trustee the chance
to meet and talk to local voluntary organisations.
We have developed and launched several new
initiatives that aim to improve and enhance the
experience of volunteers in Merton, whilst at the
same time highlighting volunteer initiatives to help
improve the lives of Merton residents.
We continued to lead on the Merton Partnership
Volunteering and Community Action strategy and
supported a number of discrete projects and
ongoing programmes of work with partners,
including Manage Your Money, Dignity and Care
and Dig Merton.
We embraced the power of befriending and with
the launch of both the pilot Merton Befriending
Project and the Youth Action
970
Connect service, we were able
to recruit and train volunteers
to befriend both young and
older people across the
new volunteering borough.
opportunities
2,462 new volunteers
Recruited 142 volunteers
with mental health
difficulties and 5 supported
volunteers are now in paid
employment
222
Merton Libraries and
Home Visits Library
Service volunteers
80
Team Merton
event volunteers
761 new volunteers aged 16-25
Our work
Fayre and Square: sold a range of arts and crafts on behalf
of 25-30 independent artisans and provided 10 week placements
for volunteers to learn retail and customer service skills.
The Avanti Club: set up a weekly club for people
experiencing mental health difficulties, their friends and their
carers.
Merton Befriending Service: a partnership between MVSC,
Age UK Merton, The Wimbledon Guild, Positive Network and
Carers Support Merton to deliver high quality befriending
services for isolated older people.
Merton Libraries and Home Visits Library Service: recruited
volunteers to support libraries and deliver books to housebound
residents.
Youth Action: supported disadvantaged young people and
enabled them to volunteer within their local community whilst
using that experience to enhance their personal development
and employability skills.
Supported Volunteering: supported young people and
adults with mental health issues and disabilities to volunteer.
Team Merton: made it quick and easy for Merton residents
to give their time and do great things for their community.
Youth Approved Volunteering Award: a youth led Quality
Mark aimed at raising the standard of Youth Volunteering in
Merton to ensure that young people are getting the best
experience to enhance their personal and career development
opportunities.
Merton Good Neighbours Scheme: encouraged local
residents to find ways to help neighbours in need.
Disclosure and Barring Service: As an Umbrella Body,
carried out DBS checks for local VCS organisations.