Make a difference in your community
Help reduce crime and the fear of crime where you live: that is one of the strongest and simplest reason to volunteer with NottsWatch. By giving your time to do something practical for your community, you help your family and neighbours to live in a more caring and safe neighbourhood, with a good community spirit.
Be part of an important, and changing organisation
Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) has been around in the UK since 1982 and most people will know the yellow roundel sticker that has identified us for many decades. But 2018-19 is an exciting time to join our established team as we are working closely with Neighbourhood Watch Network (NWN) to transform our working practices; keeping what is good about NHW and changing what isn’t. To review our current objectives, click here.
Just as crime has changed, so must we change to continue to assist in keeping communities safe. Our Home Office Minister values the role NHW has had in reducing crime such as burglaries and has in raising awareness of cybercrime, domestic violence, child sexual abuse, human trafficking and extremism.
Work with an established team for a respected, registered charity
Nottinghamshire Neighbourhood Watch (NottsWatch®) is a registered charity (No. 1156310) funded by grants from Nottinghamshire County Council and the Nottinghamshire Police & Crime Commissioner. As volunteers, we are supported by the Citizens in Policing Department Partnership Officer from Nottinghamshire Police. Additionally, we are working in partnership with Nottinghamshire County Council, (Communities Team including Notts Age Friendly Team) andNottingham City Council, (Nottingham Together Team).
Learn new skills
We need help with specialist roles – like social media, marketing, fundraising or organising events. Once you’re on board there’s almost limitless scope to use your existing skills and develop new ones to help us improve our work within communities.Training can be provided. By working with Community Organisers we can provide training to enable people to listen to residents, helping to identify community needs and mobilising people to come together to tackle issues.
Out of pocket expenses may be claimed
NottsWatch pays our trustees and non-executivemembers 45p per mile towards expenditure in travelling to and from board meetings or any other meetings on behalf of NottsWatch. Whilst you are not paid for your time, you are not expected to be out of pocket financially. Review meetings are currently held during the afternoon of the first Friday in July, October, January and April at Dunkirk Community Centre, Nottingham. NG2 2JW. Additional Executive meetings (trustees plus relevant guests) will be held 2-4 times, per year.
Quotes from current and previous volunteers of their experience of working with NottsWatch
How did this opportunity enhance your personal and professional development?
“This experience has been pivotal for me personally, both as a university leaver and young person – Within the first couple of weeks I had consolidated my written/verbal, business research & writing and networking skills.”
“This experience has been vital to the development of core skills required for employment. I would also say that work in the voluntary sector, and for NottsWatch, is unique in that ideas and suggestions are openly embraced.”
“The experience of volunteering with Neighbourhood Watch has been fundamental, to not only my personal development but also my professional development as an individual. Through working with various individuals, such as Policing Partnership Officers and those from Nottinghamshire County Council, the volunteering experience enabled me to build on my existing experience and knowledge about various organisations and allowed me to improve my writing, listening and networking skills, as well as improving my confidence through meeting new people and voicing my own opinions through my involvement in Neighbourhood Watch meetings.”
“As a real work-based team there was a huge responsibility on building NottsWatch’s online presence, but this helped me develop many workplace skills such as communication, initiative and a sense of leadership, which is a valuable asset for the future.”
“This great success and development of skills allowed me to obtain a Social Media Manager role within my desired field, where they were very impressed with the skills NottsWatch has allowed me to develop.”
Did you find the team supportive and encouraging?
“The large amount of effort and time Sue puts into not just the organisation itself but to every individual team member is something that is often rare to find, and she made me feel so appreciated and supported throughout my whole experience.”
“With encouragement and support, the website editing training has been tailored to my own strengths with a genuine development to amass increased responsibility.”
“The regular review meetings with my team give me the opportunity to discuss my development and provide a forum for enforcing a voice to my specific areas of development or interests. As such, much of the volunteer’s own initiative is what makes the experience flourishing and nurturing one’s own skillset.”
My fellow volunteers at NottsWatch are very friendly.”
“From first meeting Sue and eventually the team, I’ve felt welcomed and appreciated for the work I’ve done.”
Would you recommend volunteering and, in particular, for NottsWatch?
“As the job market gets more competitive, I would definitely recommend working as a volunteer as a Social Media Editor as it provides credible workplace skills which can provide you with a bright future.”
“My experience with volunteering for Neighbourhood Watch has been greatly positive and I would really recommend it to anyone who is unsure whether or not to volunteer with the registered organisation.”
To read Uzi, Josh, Katy and Alex’s full testimonials, see below.
