Braintree Partners

Community360 (C360) is an independent charity formed in 1968.  We are committed to a vision to build “thriving local communities”. Our Mission is: “To inspire and enable local community action to improve quality of life”. We aim to do this in line with our core values and provide a range of community projects in the Braintree district such as:

• Braintree Volunteer Centre www.volunteeressex.org
• Braintree Time Bank https://www.community360.org.uk/get-involved/time-bank/
• Community Development and organisational support
• Community Weight Management Services
• Social groups

Through the Volunteer Centre and Time Bank we support a range of not-for-profit organisations with volunteers and currently advertise over two hundred roles in the Braintree District. We also recruit volunteers to support our own projects, such as providing community IT (i-Tea) sessions, monthly Finding your Feet Walks and Braintree Slipper Exchange, to name but a few. 

If you would like any more information or support with finding voluntary placements then please feel free to get in contact. 

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.

First Stop is a charity helping those who are in need in the Braintree area and surrounding communities.

The aim is to help those who have/or are disadvantaged by: a history of poor mental health, carers, ex-offenders, homelessness, learning needs, senior citizens, single parents, socially isolated, substance misuse, those unemployed (whether on benefits or not) or anyone in hardship needing help.

The help they can get is by accessing:

• Affordable Counselling, 1:1 appointments
• Our Community Fridge (accessing good nutritional food and helping prevent food waste)
• CV Construction
• Education classes: Confidence courses (a choice of 4), Learn my Way (IT), Digital Confidence- using tablets and other devices (including internet safety), arts & crafts and basic skills, including budgeting and maths- all in a professional but informal way
• Accessing impartial Information, Advice & Guidance- to a range of services
• Safe c/o address 

And any other help that may be needed. Our expertise is that as a long established organisation, we can refer on to a range of services to meet an individual's needs.  

The Salvation Army is a Christian church and charity, and we exist to love God and to love Others. In our community, we offer community and practical support to people of all ages, without discrimination. Coffee mornings, friendship groups, parent and toddler groups, an emergency food bank and support for those experiencing homelessness.

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.

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.