Vinspired.com provides inspiring high quality volunteering opportunities to gain new experiences and skills for life for 14 - 30 year olds.

The Vinspired.com platform offers you the chance to:

St Vincent’s Centre, Newcastle is a community support project run by the St Vincent de Paul Society. It is a community hub which offers Vinnies drop-in each Tuesday, a free 3 course lunch for local guests, with wrap-around services including free haircuts, health checks, and welfare advice. Every Thursday there is a Cost-of-Living Market, and daily Vinnies Community Pantry offers a selection of groceries at reduced prices. St Vincent’s is also home to the Justice & peace Refugee project, supporting people seeking sanctuary in the city. 

Looking for support to get into paid employment? 
Looking for real hands-on work experience and more career opportunities? 
Motivated to get work experience to find a paid job?

NHS England Choices College is a national specialist college. We provide employment support for young adults aged 16-24 with learning disabilities/difficulties and/or Autism. 

Our person-centred approach ensures support is tailored to meet each learner’s needs. Placements are found based on the learners' skills and interests.

Cooking, Healthy Eating, Fitness & Fun

A range of activities will be on offer these will include cooking, physical activities, enrichment activities such as arts & crafts and fun, engaging ways to learn about food and nutrition.

This is a warm, caring and kind place because:

• We have a quiet/calm space for young people to chill out in.
• Activities can be adapted if needed
• We can offer peer support if required
• Parents/carers can contact staff to discuss individual needs. 

CIC providing support to young people at risk of criminal exploitation (ages 14-25)

This is a warm, caring and kind place because:

Cricket club for adults and juniors from 7+ years old.

We are a warm and welcoming club who are always looking for new members. We provide two Saturday XI's playing in the Northumberland and Tyneside Cricket League. Our 3rd XI play midweek cricket in the Northumberland League C Division and we also boast one midweek team in the North East Mid-Week Cricket League.
 

This is a warm, caring and kind place to be because:

N.E.S.T

To improve the emotional, heath and wellbeing through use of creative activities to build self-confidence and self-esteem. Providing strategies that women can use to improve their own emotional wellbeing.

This is aimed at women who are isolated, struggling with their emotional health or wanting to build confidence and make friends.

We’re a charity that supports adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s with a cancer diagnosis, through a range of in-person and online activities. There is never a good time to have cancer, but we know that you face different issues to older or younger people. Work, relationships, mental health, fertility, travelling – we’re here to guide you through this and more.

Northern Cultural Projects fosters community development through inclusive, participatory cultural projects.

For more information please contact Silvie Fisch on 0753 7106950 or email silvie.fisch@northernculturalprojects.org

SVP Deaf Centre is a charity providing care, comfort and compassion for disadvantaged families and individuals within the community, both non-hearing and hearing alike. As the centre is part of the wider organisation of St Vincents de Paul, we embody SVP values while also having a unique focus on bettering the lives of those who have experience of deafness

The North East Autism Society run a Family Networking Group, a closed group on Facebook which aims to empower, educate and connect parents, families and carers by: 

• Increasing knowledge

• Sharing useful information 

• Connecting people   

You can find out more here: Family Networking - North East Autism Society

At Changing Lives we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to reach their potential. We are experts in working with people experiencing the most challenging of circumstances, providing holistic support to help people to go on to lead happy, fulfilling lives. We work across four – often interconnected – areas to address the most common causes of social exclusion and long-term deprivation:

• Housing and Homelessness,
• Recovery and Wellbeing,
• Women and Children,
• Employment and Training.

We are a North East based disability sport charity. We offer many sport sessions for people with special educational needs or disabilities, including:

• SEND Activity Sessions (8-19 years old)

• Adult Adapted Cycling Session

• Adult Sport and Social Session

• Boccia Session (all ages) 

• And more! 

To find and book a session, click here: What’s On – Smile Through Sport

The Care Farming Programme is for adults with learning disabilities, difficulties and autism.  Learn new skills and gain confidence. Work as part of a team in Ouseburn Farm's farmyard, gardens or visitor centre.  

Ouseburn Farm has the following placements: 

The harm reduction service delivers a range of open access and confidential support for drug and alcohol users. You can access support such as needle and syringe exchange, nursing support, blood-borne virus testing, and access to naloxone.  You will also get lots of advice or information, and the staff will work with other services to support your needs.   

There are other needle exchange services in the city, including pharmacy exchanges, and the exchange at the Joseph Cowan Health Centre.  

The Twisting Ducks Theatre Company provides accessible opportunities for people with learning disabilities and autistic people to express themselves creatively, and to develop their skills, confidence, independence and social connections.

Our weekly Performing Arts and Music academies are for people with Learning disabilities and autistic people, aged 16 and over.

Whether you want to  DJ at our club night, act on stage, or perform in a live band, our Academies can help you to achieve your goals.

Gosforth Civic Theatre is an arts venue, café and community hub in Gosforth, and is home to, and run by, Liberdade Community Development Trust.

We opened Gosforth Civic Theatre in 2016, and in 2019 we hosted more than 900 events and activities, and invited over 50,000 people through our doors. In the words of Ozzy, one of our founding members, we opened the theatre because; 

The Mental Shift CIC works to provide support, education, and early intervention to young men to support with their mental health, reduce involvement anti-social behaviour, and improve quality of live. 

Through bespoke services which use Martial Arts as the driving force for change, we work with males aged 12 to 25 in Newcastle and beyond - including Gateshead, County Durham, Byker, and Elswick. 

Join our friendship mentoring programme and get access to the following support:

• Your own volunteer mentor to help with friendship and confidence skills

• Free workshops about social skills and building healthy relationships

• Regular social and well being groups supported by trained staff and volunteers​

• Telephone befriending

• Travel buddy support

To find out more call 0191 231 4327 or email info@friendsaction.co.uk

Where Does It Take Place?

At Gosforth Civic Theatre's Café Bar.

Who Is It For? 

Young people with learning disabilities and autism aged between 16-24 years old 

How Does It Work? 

We have a range of programmes from Pre-entry to Level 2 focusing on independent living skills, social and community involvement as well as work and life skills. Please note days are subject to availability and change.

Choose from the subjects below:

Pathways to Working Life

This pathway is for young people with a learning disability and/or difficulty who would like to develop their skills and progress into employment whilst working on core skills such as maths and English along with employment skills. The course will help you with your personal social and economic welfare, and you will receive pastoral support to help you fulfil your aspirations and reach your goals.