New Deal
New Deal volunteers can make a significant difference to your organisation. They volunteer full-time for 13 weeks, which is more than the normal volunteer is usually able to offer.
The New Deal programme started at the Volunteer Centre Kensington & Chelsea (VCKC) in 1999, when it was first delivered across London. It was successfully contracted to the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and sub-contracted by VCKC to provide the Voluntary Sector Option, which then won the Best Practice award in recognition of its work.
VCKC has continued to work with 18-24’s, 25+, lone parents, and 50+. Within these groups they work with BME groups, people with disabilities, the homeless, ex-offenders and people with mental health issues. Drawing on the expertise of its staff members, VCKC acts in partnership with outside agencies and the voluntary sector.
Not only does the work placement provide an additional member of staff for your organisation but it gives the volunteer with the opportunity to gain skills and build confidence, good work routines, and experience which they can add to their CV. This, in turn, helps them to become more employable.
At VCKC, volunteers go through a process of assessment to ensure that the organisation and volunteer’s interests, experience and enthusiasm are well matched and both sides gain the maximum from the placement.
The placement usually lasts up 13 weeks and the volunteer usually engages to commit 26 hours per week. The duration would be shorter if the volunteer entered paid employment and the number of hours would be fewer if they were in further education.
Once the volunteer is placed we provide continuous support for both the organisation and the individual. We place a great deal of importance on maintaining good working relationships with our partner organisations.
Contact Sharon Wilson or any member of the New Opportunities team to request a full-time volunteer call 020 8960 3722
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Volunteer into work
Naseem and Christina both found work as a result of the New Deal Scheme at the Volunteer Centre. Read this case study to find out more about New Deal and what the people that take part in the scheme think.
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New Deal and the PCT
We have an excellent relationship wiith our local PCT, who provide placements and training for the volunteers that we referre to them.
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What our partners think
Work Directions ae one of the leading welfare-to-work programme providers in the UK, currently serving over 98,000 clients. We have been working in close partnership with them for many years.