It’s National Volunteers’ Week – a time to say thanks!

2023 marks the 39th year of Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June), when we recognise the contribution volunteers make across North Yorkshire. 

The theme for this year is ‘Celebrate and Inspire’, and Community First Yorkshire, a local charity supporting volunteers and volunteering organisations, is encouraging people to get involved in volunteering in whatever way works for them.

Supporting the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO’s) call to ‘be the change that we want to see’; Community First Yorkshire is rallying people to find roles on its Volunteering in North Yorkshire (VINY) directory.

If you’re looking to experience new things, feel more connected to your local community, use your skills, meet new people or give just a small amount of time from home, there’s something for everyone on VINY. Gone are the days when volunteering meant committing to a regular Tuesday in a charity shop – volunteering today is about fitting the right role to the volunteer and the amount of time they have to spare. It’s as flexible as you want the opportunity to be.

Volunteering roles can be anything from being a trustee, a community transport driver, or a social media assistant to being a befriender or even a cinema projectionist.

Jane Colthup, Chief Executive at Community First Yorkshire, said: “Volunteers’ Week is a chance to say a huge heartfelt thank you to all the brilliant volunteers out there, recognise their efforts and everything they contribute to our local communities, the voluntary sector, and society as a whole. What’s more, it’s a well-known fact that doing something for others makes the volunteer feel great too, so everyone benefits.

Jane concludes: “Here at Community First Yorkshire, we have a passion for volunteering, and, Volunteers’ Week is a chance to recognise the 128,000 volunteers who provide an additional 9 million hours of work across Humber and North Yorkshire.”

If you’re interested in volunteering and want to hear about other people's experiences, Community First Yorkshire has blogs, podcasts, and resources to help inspire you on how you can make a difference in your community. There are over 200 roles waiting on the organisation’s Volunteering in North Yorkshire directory. Why not have a look and see if there’s something for you?

If you’d like to help galvanize others to give the gift of their time by sharing your volunteering story via a blog or podcast, please contact marcomms@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk.