Community First East Hampshire
Community First East Hampshire (CFEH) is a support organisation for the local voluntary and community sector across a district which is 85% rural. The organisation is a member of NAVCA (National Association of Voluntary and Community Agencies) and provides training, community development support, volunteering, project management and an independent voice for the sector.
Through their team of staff and volunteers, they assist voluntary and community groups to improve what they do, supporting them through the provision of a range of services which includes learning and development, facilitating networks, funding, legal updates, volunteering and governance advice. This support helps those organisations to provide quality services to their own local communities and helps Community First East Hampshire to identify and develop new opportunities where there may be unmet needs.
Their extensive training programme includes courses such as Emergency First Aider, Food Hygiene or Managing Volunteers. In addition to this they also run several computer-based training activities such as Introduction to Microsoft Publisher/ Excel and Creating and Designing a Website. They use various facilities throughout the district where individuals can access computers, take part in training activities, or seek employment or volunteering opportunities.
In addition to the training and support that they provide, they also manage a number of projects and are currently working in partnership with three Job Centre Plus offices to help unemployed people access volunteering opportunities as a way to gain new skills as a step back into employment. Community First East Hampshire meets with volunteering candidates in order to discuss and identify volunteering opportunities and, through a connection with the volunteering website do-it, aims to facilitate this. They will also look into alternate options across the district in order to find the right opportunity for the individual. Christy is an example of someone who has benefited from the service that Community First East Hampshire provides. She was very interested in volunteering and was hoping to volunteer at Elizabeth Fitzroy “On Track” but unfortunately she was too late for that opportunity. However, undeterred, she went on during the summer holidays to find her own placement at the British Heart Foundation Shop in Aldershot and the Spire Coffee Bar in Farnham.
In December 2011Community First East Hampshire put out a request for help with the Butterfly Garden at Alton Infants School and Christy was one of the first to come forward. The school was creating a garden which would attract butterflies and the students were required to help paint the wooden butterflies that would be attached to the posts and fencing.
Christy once again went to Community First in March 2012 very keen to volunteer abroad during the summer. She was unsure where to start looking so the service helped find information for her through Volunteer England.
Through the Volunteer Centre and Alton College Christy has now gone on to apply for her Gold Lions Club Award for her volunteering. Most recently Alton College chose Community First East Hampshire to be the focus of a DVD they were producing as part of a coursework assignment. The DVD is entitled ‘Why volunteer?’ and showcases the benefits and enjoyment that individuals receive from volunteering.
It features individuals from member groups across the region speaking about the pleasure that they gain from volunteering. The DVD has now been completed and has been widely acknowledged locally. It will appear on the Hampshire County Council and local MP’s website, as well as a range of other websites in the local area.
Community First East Hampshire has been a member of Attend for two years now. ‘We find membership to be very helpful for volunteering resources, as well as the insurance benefits and the creative services that are provided. Attend helped us to design our logo,’ says Terry Bishop, Chief Executive of Community First East Hampshire.
Quotes
'Lovely facility, very grateful for being able to use computers – don’t know what I would have done otherwise.'
Created 8th May 2012
Community First East Hampshire, a former member group of Attend. For more information, or to join, please click here.
