— Comments Off on The King’s Award for Voluntary Service

The King’s Award for Voluntary Service

As part of Volunteers’ Week, we’re raising awareness of the King’s Award for Voluntary Service , which celebrates the outstanding work of volunteer groups across the UK.

Created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and previously known as The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), the Award has been shining a light on the fantastic work of voluntary groups from all across the UK for many years.

Equivalent to an MBE, KAVS is the highest Award given to local voluntary groups in the UK, and they are awarded for life.

MK Recipients of the QAVS Award

Wolverton Secret Garden Society MK

Love in Action MK Ltd

MK Food bank

Milton Keynes Islamic Arts & Culture Organisation

Milton Keynes Museum Volunteers

Old Bath House and Community Centre – Wolverton

The Stablemates MK – (Stables Theatre)

Bosom Pals MK

Marshall Milton Keynes Athletic Club

Olney Rugby Football Club MK

MK Snap

Cowper and Newton Museum Volunteers

The Brooklands Centre, Milton Keynes

DREAMSAI

Milton Keynes Centre for Integrated Living

Nominations for the 2024 award opened on the 1st June 2023, with the full timeline of the awards process found here. Nominations close on the 15 September.

If you’d like to nominate any of the fantastic volunteer-involving organisations from across the city, you can find all the details here!

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— Comments Off on Refugee Community Event

Refugee Community Event

Networking event: with focus on Support to local refugee communities in Milton Keynes

In collaboration with Eden Project Communities as part of their Month of Community and with support from a number of local VCSE organisations, Community Action: MK  is delighted to host a special networking and community event dedicated to the Refugee Community. The event will be on Wednesday 28th June, hosted at the wonderful space at the YMCA in Central Milton Keynes. The aim is to bring together the local Voluntary sector and identify how best to connect with and support our refugee communities in Milton Keynes.

The event will feature presentations from local organisations that have been working closely with and providing support to our local refugee communities in Milton Keynes, including those from Afghanistan and Ukraine. We are delighted to be joined by the Ukraine Appeal charity, who have been galvanising support for the local Ukrainian community in the City, and from the Volunteers at The Mead Centre in Newport Pagnell, who have been supporting the Afghan women and their families staying in one of the local holding hotels in Milton Keynes. We also hope to be joined by a local team from the British Red Cross, who have been a life-line for many refugee and asylum seekers coming to our region to seek safety and support.

They will be sharing their first hand experiences of providing support to those that seek sanctuary in Milton Keynes and will support some of the refugee community members to talk at the event and share their lived experience stories too. 

We know that there are many more local voluntary organisations (as well public and health sector agencies) that have been providing services and activities tailored to meeting the needs of our local refugee communities. We hope to shine the light on their work too as well as enable networking and collaboration within the wider VCSE sector and other sectors in the City.

There will be a workshop and a discussion of how our local VCSE sector and other key agencies can work together in a joined up way to provide the best possible support to our local refugee communities and give them the chance to rebuild their lives, share their culture and enable them to thrive in our City. 

There will also be the opportunity for the local refugee community members to join us on the day and engage with the local charities and services to find out about their services and volunteering opportunities etc. 

And finally, a very special part of the event will be delivered by the local charity, Middle Eastern Cultural Group, and their special live performance of the “Broken Wings“play. 

Based on real life experiences, the performance follows the journey of a teenage girl fleeing conflict and eventually arriving in the UK. Drawing attention to the trauma refugee children have experienced through their journeys and the challenges they face in their new life in the UK.

More details about the event and its programme will be updated in this blog and through our newsletter, and social media.

You can follow us on @ComactMK/ facebook.com/CommunityActionMK.

We hope to see you there!

Reserve your spot here!
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— Comments Off on Volunteers Week 1 – 7 June 2023

Volunteers Week 1 – 7 June 2023

Today is the start of Volunteers Week! Across MK, charities and groups will be celebrating the huge impact volunteers have, and thanking them for their time and dedication.

Why is Volunteering Important?

Volunteering builds stronger, more connected communities. Volunteers can also benefit from forming friendships, gaining skills, and attaining work experience.

Being a volunteer can improve your wellbeing, and can be a source of fulfilment and fun!

I’d like to find a volunteer role, how can I do this?

1. Sign up to Do.It, a free-to-join volunteering platform

Search a wide range of volunteer opportunities, and get in touch directly with volunteer managers and coordinators. Sign up here.

2.Book a virtual 1-2-1 session on volunteering 

Talk to our Volunteering Coordinator about finding a volunteer role that’s right for you.

You can do this by emailing volunteering@communityactionmk.org 

3.Check out our volunteering map of MK

Click here to start exploring.

4.Join our Facebook Group, Volunteer MK

Click here to join the community and see the latest posts.



I work with volunteers, how can I get involved?

You can start by browsing ideas here.

If you’re sharing a message of thanks to your volunteers or pictures of your awards ceremonies or thank you gatherings on social media, use #VolunteersWeek and #Volunteer MK or tag us @ComActMK, and we’ll share your posts on the 5 and 6 June.

You can also send a Thank You message to be displayed on the 7 June at the Volunteers’ Week Pillar at MK Rose, Campbell Park.

Email over 2 or 3 sentences of thanks to your volunteers: volunteering@communityactionmk.org

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— Comments Off on We are hiring!

We are hiring!

Would you like to work for us? Community Action: MK are recruiting for a Group Support and Outreach Officer.

Are you passionate about the work of the not-for-profit sector and looking for a new challenge?  Do you want a role that works with voluntary groups and communities to do great things?  Do you have great communications skills and interpersonal skills?  If so, this role might be for you…

We are looking for a skilled individual to join our team here at Community Action:MK as a Group Support and Outreach Worker. The role is focused on undertaking a programme of outreach within New Communities in Milton Keynes which provides opportunities for residents in new areas to meet, connect and develop ideas to create action and change in their communities. The role also involves supporting the coordination and communication for the Milton Keynes Mental Health Alliance.

We are keen to hear from a range of people with relevant skills and experience, whether they were gained via education, volunteering or paid employment.  To be successful, you will need to demonstrate that you are organised, can work both independently and as part of a team, and are passionate about social justice, which sits at the heart of our work.  This is a really vibrant role that will give you the opportunity to get involved with a number of different aspects of work, as well as outreach to groups and communities, there will be opportunities to coordinate events and meetings, managing information and data, communications, partnership working and gathering intelligence and insights to share with key stakeholders.  

To find out more about the specific tasks that you will get involved with, please refer to the job description document.

Job description

Person Specification

Application and Interview Process:

To apply, please submit your CV and a covering letter to Paula@communityactionmk.org. CVs and covering letters will be reviewed as soon as they are received.  If we think that you have the right skills and experience for the role, we will contact you via telephone to arrange a short assessment to be conducted online.  If successfully, you will be offered an interview.  

Deadline for application: Thursday 15th June 2023 

Interview date: W/C 26th June 2023

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— Comments Off on Volunteering at MK Museum, Wolverton

Volunteering at MK Museum, Wolverton

Milton Keynes Museum is a hands-on day out, dedicated to the history of MK. The museum has a thriving volunteer community, and they’re looking to expand this team:

MK Museum Volunteer Roles

Reception and Shop Team

Giving a warm welcome to our visitors, serving them on admissions and retail and keeping the museum shop stocked are just some of the tasks of our team of reception and shop volunteers.

This front of house role is for you if you’re outgoing, communicative, have an eye for detail, are happy to use a till and handle cash.

Catering Team

Our Granary Tea Room is known for its incredible homemade cakes and is a key element of our visitor’s experience, with volunteers serving the counter and taking food and drinks orders.

This front of house role is for you if you are approachable, hands on, communicative and are happy to use a till and handle cash.

Education Team

Helping to educate over 4,000 students a year is a rewarding task, and the Education team brings the past centuries back to life for children.

This front of house role is for you if you are approachable, know a thing or two about our local history and enjoying working with children and young people. No past teaching experience required!

Visitor Guide

Our friendly Visitor Guides provide accessible information for individual visitors and interpret our collection to pro-vide an all-around excellent visitor experience.

This front of house role is for you if you are interested in historic artefacts, have great interpersonal skills and are a good communicator.

Maintenance Team

There are always jobs to be done to care for the Museum, its buildings and artefacts – whether you’re a skilled crafts-person or good at DIY, you can help the museum with various projects.

This back of house role is for you if you are a hands-on team player, have some experience or interest in a craft/trade and are physically fit.

Events Team

Something all of our year-round events have in common are our Event volunteers who are in charge of planning, running and stewarding.

This front of house role is for you if you are a people person who is able to multitask and doesn’t mind working outdoors.

Contact Email           volunteer@mkmuseum.org.uk

Contact Number      01908 316 222

Contact Name          Mirjam Rundel

Postcode                    MK12 5EL (Milton Keynes Museum)

Link                             https://miltonkeynesmuseum.org.uk/support-us/volunteer/

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— Comments Off on FoodCycle Launching in Fishermead 8 June, could you help by volunteering?

FoodCycle Launching in Fishermead 8 June, could you help by volunteering?

FoodCycle connect communities through free meals and great conversation. Harnessing volunteer power, they utilise food surplus to create warm meals in welcoming spaces. After successfully establishing FoodCycle lunches in Wolverton, they are launching on the 8 June in Fishermead MK6 2SP Thursdays at 7.00pm, and they’re in need of volunteers!

A5-Multi-Volunteer-Leaflets-MK-Aylesbury-PRINTDownload

Taster Session

On the 25th May FoodCycle will be hosting a practise run in Fishermead, where people can join them to help cook, host or just come and join us for the meal. They ask that everyone who intends on coming registers for an account.

To register for an account please visit https://volunteer.foodcycle.org.uk/volunteer-sign-up

In order to sign up to a slot, you just need to:

• Click on ‘Start FoodCycling’ at the top of your volunteer account

• Select East Anglia on the map

• Click on ‘volunteer with FoodCycle Milton Keynes Fishermead’

• Find the right date/role and click ‘sign up’.

You will then receive an automatic email confirmation with all the information you need ahead of the session.

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— Comments Off on Volunteers’ Week 1 – 7 June

Volunteers’ Week 1 – 7 June

Volunteers’ Week , is fast approaching, a chance to celebrate the enormous positive impact of volunteers and to thank them for their year-round dedication.

How we’re celebrating:

Volunteer Recruitment Event Weds 24 May, 11-1.30pm, Centre: MK

Stalls for groups are fully booked, but if you’d like to find a volunteer role, come along on the Wednesday 24th to chat to organisations such as Willen Hospice, Age UK and MK Libraries. No need to book!

Volunteer Thank You Picnic at MK Rose, Campbell Park  Weds 7 June, 11am-1pm

Do you volunteer in Milton Keynes or work with volunteers? Join us for lemonade and cake, whilst we display messages of thanks to MK volunteers at the Volunteers’ Week Pillar. Book your place by 1 June, or submit a message of thanks to a volunteer: Click here. 

You can also hear about Volunteers’ Week plans from across MK, follow us on Facebook and Twitter @ComActMK

Blog Post Volunteering