Basildon, Billericay and Wickford Partners

Basildon Billericay and Wickford CVS (Council for Voluntary Service) was formed in 1989 as an independent registered charity that exists to promote, develop, support and represent a thriving, effective, voluntary and community sector in the borough.

Our work and mission
We are guided by values that promote equality of opportunity, participation, cooperation, partnership and democratic involvement. We promote local voluntary and community action in order to combat poverty and disadvantage, and to improve the quality of life for all of Basildon’s communities and citizens.

We do this by providing a range of services to meet the needs of voluntary and community organisations, helping those that are starting up as well as organisations that are already established. We also support joint working between voluntary and community organisations, with business, and the statutory sector, and help to make sure the interests and concerns of the VCS are well represented.

BBW Volunteer Network offer a brokerage between organisations and volunteers. We have 100's of registered organisation offering volunteering opportunities, who are supported by 1000’s of volunteers. Visit www.bbwvolunteernetwork.co.uk to find out more.

This year we have launched the Volunteer Activity Portal, which is a great way to reward and encourage volunteering through gamification. Volunteers can log their hours to work towards achievements, add to their community star score, and build their downloadable volunteer passport. Anyone can sign up at www.volunteeractivityportal.co.uk (iOS and Android app coming soon).

We promote volunteering and volunteering opportunities via our monthly e-bulletin (sign up on the BBW Volunteer Network website), in our Community Connection magazine, on our social media channels, and at various community eventa throughout the year.

We also have the Community Exchange page on Facebook, to promote everything that’s going on in the borough, which works alongside our Community Exchange app (available on iOS and Android).

Employ-Ability is a specialist employment support charity working with people with physical and mental health conditions. Our purpose is to support people to secure and retain employment. We promote employment as it is both a normal aspiration and because it is a proven method of supporting recovery. It is a completely free service and we are in partnership with the NHS to help people in local communities across Essex. Our employment services follow a delivery model known as Individual Placement Support (IPS) This model is used across the globe to help people find paid, sustainable work, working with the individual's job preferences.

We provide Essex residents (excluding Southend-On-Sea and Thurrock) with access to health checks; stop smoking services; weight management courses; and emotional health and wellbeing support. All of our services are free.

At Motivated Minds, we are dedicated to fostering mental health and wellbeing across the Basildon Borough. We understand that mental health issues affect individuals differently and that is why we can tailor our support to address the unique needs. We offer a variety of postivie programmes, practical solutions and one to one coaching or counselling.

Sociability is a fully registered charity, Number: 1166862.  Providing an alternative to clinical support, Sociability focus on mental health self-help methods and coping strategies.  Sociability is uniquely set within the tranquil Wat Tyler Country Park.  This allows us to use the evidence based natural environment and the positives of social contact to improve mental wellbeing.  Sociability provides activities which are designed by our resident psychotherapist, a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, our activities are designed within the BACP framework. BACP Number: 00930244

Sociability focuses on the needs of the individual, with an holistic approach we view each person as unique...along with the symptoms and issues which accompany them.  Services can be access via a personal health budget if a person is known to mental health services.   Our services are designed to support people who correspond to the service levels of A, B and functioning C.  Please, call for more information, we look forward to meeting you.

Sport for Confidence combines the expertise of Occupational Therapists and Sports Coaches in leisure centres to make reasonable adjustments and reduce barriers to enable everyone to participate in accessible sport and physical activity to improve health, wellbeing and life skills. Based in various leisure centres across Essex and London, we adapt physical activity sessions to be inclusive to everyone over the age of 16.

Trailnet offers a range of cycling and other activities from our Cycle Centre at Thorndon Country Park.

We have a wide selection of standard bikes and adapted trikes so that all ages and abilities can cycle through the woods, either independently or as part of one of our supported group rides.

We also offer cycling lessons for those that can't ride a bike, provide free cycle mechanic training and refurbish old bikes for reuse by the public.

In addition to cycling, we offer orienteering using a map and compass, and geocaching - a high-tech treasure hunt using hand-held GPS units.

Volunteers are always welcome to help us deliver our various sessions.

However you want to enjoy outdoor activities, we are there to help.

Trust Links is your local mental health, wellbeing and environmental charity. We work across Essex to support people experiencing mental health difficulties, families, and other community members with main bases in Southend, Castle Point, Rochford, Basildon and Braintree. We’re committed to building stronger communities and transforming lives. 

Supporting the environment through sustainable living is at the core of our work. 

If in the boroughs of Basildon and Braintree, you can access our Growing Together Therapeutic gardening project and amazing volunteering opportunities with Greening Basildon and Environmental Activities Volunteering.

Our other sites in Essex offer Growing Together therapeutic gardening, recovery courses, groups and peer support with REACH, and youth and family projects. 

Visit our website for full details about our projects.

Become a Family Mentor!

Do you have an interest in helping people & supporting your local community of Southend-On-Sea? Do you think you can spare some time in your week to support a family as a volunteer?

Volunteering Matters, the Family Mentors project in Southend, recruits and trains their volunteers to help support families. (Volunteers from outside of the Southend area would have to travel to to Southend where our project is based)

Our Volunteers act as trusted mentors, providing consistent emotional and practical support to families in their homes every week. Volunteers tailor their support to the unique needs of each family, building on strengths, and promoting resilience.

We do not require you to have previous experience, as we feel our volunteers can make use of their life experiences and relevant skills to support our families, as well as the training provided.

This is a great opportunity for anyone wanting to increase their experience in mentoring and may wish to have a career in Social Work, support work or counselling.

This opportunity fits around your availability – you will need to commit to 1 – 2 hours per week for 6 – 12 months. Usually a year’s support is required.

Some of our volunteers can also offer telephone support for the family, if this is preferred by the volunteer, and the family being supported.

Aim of project……..

• Helping families to be independent
• Assisting with practical activities e.g. Budgeting, Parenting, Routine Building
• Build a relationship of trust and mutual respect through the tasks they do and through regular contact with the family
• Support families and help them to be aware of and make contact with useful, local resources

What Volunteering Matters will give you……

• Training which will include: Safeguarding, Building Self Esteem & more
• Further on-going relevant training opportunities
• Reimbursement of travel and any other agreed “out of pocket” expenses
• On-going staff member support

What you will get from the role….

• A huge amount of satisfaction
• Helping to support the local community
• Being part of a community
• Training and experience
• Job reference from us (after you have volunteered for us for 1 year)

Role requirements:

• Aged over 18 years old
• Able and willing to commit to visit/speak with the family once every week, for a minimum of 6 months
• Willing to provide references and complete a DBS (criminal record) check, paid for by Volunteering Matters
• Have an interest in helping people, both parents and children

Commitment

This opportunity fits around your availability - you only need to commit to between 1 – 2 hours per week for 6 - 12 months. Usually a year's support is required. Please note: Due to current safeguarding procedures, volunteer support will only be over the telephone although some support is returning to face to face.