Introduction

Get With It Sports Volunteer Programme was launched in September 2008 as a 2 year pilot project funded through One North East. It was 1 of 9 Regional Cultural Volunteering projects being delivered by a variety of agencies across the North East.

All projects were unique in that they looked to take economically inactive individuals and provide them with customised training linked to volunteering opportunities and to increase employability through voluntary placements. The training enabled volunteers to gain a range of transferable skills to improve their employment prospects.

Get With It culminated as the volunteer work force for the Sainsbury’s UK School Games North East England 2010 that brought 1600 elite school age performers to the region competing in 10 different sports

Due to the success and popularity of the programme, Gateshead Council made the decision to continue the project post UK School Games and the conclusion of the One North East funding.

Get With It ….What is it??
 

A specific programme to recruit, retain and reward volunteers.

Provide regular volunteering opportunities to registered volunteers.

Identify opportunities that will develop volunteers skills, improve confidence and self esteem.

Offer training and qualifications for volunteers involved.

Give opportunities to meet new people and engage in a varied range of physical activities through Inter-Active.

So Why Volunteer?
 

Meet new people- volunteering can bring you into contact with like minded people. It is also a great way to meet people from different backgrounds.

Build confidence- while volunteering you will experience challenges and develop new skills. This can help you build confidence.

Boost your employability- volunteering is a great way for you to develop skills such as communication, teamwork and time management that many employers look for in today’s competitive job market.

Have fun- Get With It believes that all volunteers should enjoy their volunteering experience.
 

Rewards and Awards
 

Get With It is dedicated to rewarding its volunteers for the time and commitment they give to the programme. Every volunteer is given the opportunity to record their hours and work towards Get With It Volunteer Incentive Points (VIP’s) through our Rewards and Awards Scheme.

Rewards and Awards is designed to “give something back “to our loyal and devoted volunteers and along the way increase their skills and experience, developing a legacy of Sports Volunteers or Gateshead

Volunteers can start to build up their VIP’s as soon as they have completed their induction process; these points can be traded in to access a variety of activities and sports through Inter-Active. (conditions may apply)

Inter-Active

Inter-Active is a networking programme set up for all Get With It volunteers and is another way of giving something back to our volunteers.

This programme gives volunteers the opportunity to get involved in a variety of free activities and is linked to our Rewards and Awards Scheme.

Through Inter-Active you will be able to:
•    Meet new people and fellow volunteers.
•    Participate in free activities you may not have tried before.
•    Have a say in the development of the programme.

Expenses

Volunteering with Get With It will not cost you, although all expenses should be discussed and pre-arranged with the Get With It Team. To make a claim you must retain all receipts or proof of expenditure and attach these to the expenses claim form. The full expenses claim process will be explained during your induction.
 

Terms and Conditions

What you can expect form the Get With It Team…

•    To be assigned a named person who will provide guidance and support.
•    To be given a volunteer role and/or relevant information about the opportunity you are volunteering with.
•    To have the opportunity to access appropriate training relating to your volunteer interests.
•    To be treated with respect and without discrimination.
•    To have access to all policies and procedures relating to your role.

What the Get With It Team expect from you…

•    To act as a positive role model.
•    To be reliable and punctual and notify your named contact as soon as possible if you are not available.
•    To work as part of a team and to carry out agreed tasks.
•    To promote equal opportunities.
•    To adhere to the organisations policies and procedures.

FAQ’s

Volunteering Whilst on Benefits

If you are claiming benefits you must advise your Job Centre that you are volunteering. Reassure them that you can be contacted while volunteering and state that you can leave your volunteering at any time. It might also be helpful to explain the opportunities available to you through your volunteering placement (i.e. training and experience etc) and that this is volunteering may be able to help you gain paid employment.

Please advise the Get With It Volunteer Team if this situation happens to you.

The project will actively source quality opportunities and carefully work with each provider before the opportunity is advertised to you, the volunteer. Health and Safety is paramount and codes of practice are in place, which outline how volunteers should be treated with minimum standards required.

Do I need any special skills?

The majority of roles require nothing more than enthusiasm and commitment. When advertising projects and events some organisers may have volunteer roles which require special skills, however this will always be clearly stated and they will almost always have other non-specialised roles too.

Do I have to volunteer for all projects or associated events?

No. We will continue to send you information about opportunities but you need only show interest in and volunteer for the opportunities that you are interested in.

If I volunteer, will it cost me money?

Although you do not get paid for volunteering, you should get back reasonable travel expenses. Please contact the Sports Volunteer Team for further details.

What kind of volunteer opportunities can I apply for?

You can apply for all kinds of long and short-term opportunities. These range from opportunities in assisting at a sports coaching session, officiating and assisting at events, managing a sports team, helping to organise and run sporting competitions, assisting with sports club administration or using your skills and abilities to help others.

Are all Projects & Events accessible?

Wherever possible support is given but a few projects and events may not be suitable for those with mobility problems. However every effort is made to ensure that events are accessible for all volunteers.

What happens to my personal information?

All of your details are held on our secure database and information systems that only restricted staff have access.

Volunteering and Work – Can volunteering help me find work?

Volunteering has been proven to be an excellent way for unemployed people to get into or back into employment. Many skills can be learnt or developed further through volunteering and there are excellent training opportunities available with good support and advice in place to help you find work and work placements.

There are many opportunities to volunteer outside of normal hours. Some projects or events may require people who are able, on occasion, to volunteer at evenings or weekends.

Contact Details

Get With It Volunteer Team
Gateshead Council
Old Town Hall
West Street
Gateshead
NE8 1HU
Tel: 0191 433 6948
Email: getwithit@gateshead.gov.uk