In these times of great uncertainty, we have created a platform to connect people and organisations who would like help, with wonderful volunteers who are able to help them, that they can choose from. This way it is easy and secure for all involved - the volunteers offering support and people and organisations looking for help.
We put safety first and ensure it is quick & hassle-free to register.
Our network has two focuses:
1. We focus on connecting volunteers to existing networks and organisations around the world that are supporting people in their local area or areas where they can help depending on where they are based. In addition to new groups of volunteer efforts that have been set up during this crisis, existing organisations from care homes and homeless shelters to foodbanks, refugee camps and more, will also now need more help from volunteers than ever before with ever greater amounts of pressure being put on them.
2. We directly connect people who would like help with those who can provide it in a more secure way that protects privacy and allows them flexibility to find support that maps their needs.
Areas where volunteers can help include non-contact errands such as:
• assistance with getting and delivering groceries,
• the collection and delivery of prescriptions and medicine,
• the collection and delivering of post or things for the post office,
• good company in the form of calls to check in or video conferencing,
• help with walking pets etc., assistance with transport (such as booking transports to take to hospital appointments or in certain cases driving),
• donation of supplies or food parcels/care packages
• and more, all using safe non-contact methods and following international and national hygiene guidelines.
The tasks do not have to be huge things, but even a little bit of help will go a long way towards helping others in these difficult times of need.
How does it work?
1. If you are a help seeker, the first step is to sign up here. It only takes a few minutes and you will be asked to provide some personal and contact information, ways in which you’d like to be helped as well as your preferences when it comes to the volunteers you’d like to work with. Don’t worry, we will not display your personal and contact information anywhere publicly and you are the only one who can choose to share any information with whoever you want help from.
2. Once you’re signed up you will be able to see your dashboard and if you click on the ‘My Help Requests’ section you can make a help request. You can send as many help requests as you require but please make separate help requests each time for each type of help you want. You can make either a private help request or a public help request. With private requests, our platform will show you volunteers who fit your criteria but they will not be able to see you until you choose to be connected. If you wish to find help faster, there is also an option to make a public help request which means information about your help request will be displayed to all of the volunteers. Please note that no sensitive information will be shared, just your initials, location area and the information on the category of help you need.
3. Once you’ve submitted your help requests, you can go to the ‘Find a Volunteer’ section on the ‘My Help Requests’ page, where you’ll be able to see volunteers who fit your criteria – you can see them but they can’t see you until you choose to be connected. If there are people who fit the criteria you selected, you will be shown their initials, their distance from you as well as their bio and the help type of the volunteers can offer. You can choose who you would like to help you and send them a request including a brief note. They will be emailed immediately telling them that they are wanted for your help request. Alternatively, if you don’t want to get help from someone, you can simply choose not to see their profile again.
4. If a volunteer decides to accept your request, you will be notified via email and will be given their contact information so you can connect with them. On the ‘My Help Requests’ page you will be able to see your pending requests as well as the info on any volunteers you are connected with.
5. Once you are matched with a volunteer, please go to the appropriate help request form that you created and change the status of the request so that we would know you already have someone helping you with that request or that it has been completed. If there is any problem, you can also report someone by clicking on the ‘Report’ button at the bottom of your dashboard page.
6. Please ensure all forms of help being requested are strictly with no physical interaction – this is to ensure your and the volunteer’s safety. Please make sure that you are following the guidelines (LINK) and that you’re being considerate to those you are communicating with.
7. Please make sure that you are following the guidelines (LINK) and that you’re being considerate to those you are communicating with. Please also ensure that you are following our platform’s strict guidelines around no physical interaction helping to ensure everyone’s safety.
GUIDELINES
USEFUL RESOURCES HERE
