Volunteers
Join the Magic Me Community
We could not run as many projects as we do without the support and skills of our volunteers. Magic Me volunteers enable older people, including those who are isolated or living in care homes to participate in the arts, and meet and get to know younger people in their local area. Magic Me volunteers are a crucial part of our work. Our volunteers are supported with training and supervision, as well as full reimbursement of travel and lunch costs.
“I enjoy volunteering at Magic Me because I share my skills with others and each project makes me feel part of a great community” Magic Me Volunteer
What type of volunteer are you?
Cocktails in Care Home volunteers
If you enjoy a drink after work & having a chat with interesting people from all walks of life then Cocktails in Care Homes is the place for you. This project is growing to reach 9 homes across London, operating in 5 London boroughs – Tower Hamlets, Westminster, Waltham Forest, Islington and Southwark. Visit the Cocktails in Care Homes website to find out more and sign up.
Project Volunteers & Student Placements
Project volunteers assist our artists in the delivery of sessions and also get involved in the planning and evaluation of all our intergenerational arts projects. Being a project assistant is a great way to gain hands-on experience working in an intergenerational setting, and especially suited to students looking to complement their research or artists starting out in community practice. Email us listing your artform(s) or research interest and we will match you up with a project. Our projects tend to happen during the day on weekdays and are in London. Travel and lunch expenses are covered by Magic Me. Some roles will require a DBS check.
Corporate Groups and Businesses
Corporate groups volunteer with us regularly. We tailor each partnership to ensure groups get as much out of their experience as possible and opportunities match CSR goals and staff availability e.g. Cocktails in Care Homes allows staff to get involved after work. We offer onsite inductions and training for new volunteers.
Current corporate partners includes:
- Allen & Overy LLP have funded Magic Me projects, e.g. PhotoWalks, and print our Annual Report in kind.
- The Bank of England send volunteers to our weekly Cocktail in Care Homes parties.
- Clifford Chance LLP staff attend Cocktail parties, host quarterly parties on their premises for care home residents, and organise lunchtime craft clubs to make props for the parties. Clifford Chance have also funded arts projects with John Scurr Primary School and Pat Shaw Care Home and have given us use of their rooms in kind.
- Schroders bring volunteers to Cocktail parties and also make a donation towards the running of the project.
Contact Phoebe Grudzinskas to discuss how to get your staff team involved
Admin & Office volunteers
We have regular office volunteers assist us with the general running of the organisation at our office in Bethnal Green. Tasks are varied and include clerical duties and press and marketing support. Placements usually last up to 3 months for 1 or 2 days a week 10am-5pm.
It may not be necessary to come into the office to volunteer as we often need support in such as transcribing, writing copy for the website, and creating press releases which can be done from home.
Email us telling us a bit about yourself, your skills and your availability, and we can discuss current admin volunteering opportunities.
Specialist Volunteers – legal, financial, tech support, design, etc
We also work with individuals who offer their specialist support where we don’t have the inhouse skills. In the past we have worked with Website Editors, Fundraising Advisors, Database Managers and Employment Solicitors.
If you would like to volunteer your specialist skills, do get in touch via email.
Event volunteers
We need volunteers of all ages to help out at our performances, celebrations and meetings. – taking tickets, resetting the spaces, making tea, etc. To find out more email us and we will send you details of opportunities and events as and when they become available.
Guidance and Support for Volunteers
All volunteers will attend an induction with Magic Me staff, where they will receive a copy of the relevant Volunteer Handbook, which has everything you need to know from times to support, safeguarding to celebrations. For more detailed information, our volunteering policy and our policy and procedures for safeguarding vulnerable people are available to download and read here.
Thanks
We are a small charity with a big ambition to unite the generations, so we are grateful to all our volunteers for their contribution to our work. We are grateful to the supporters and sponsors of our volunteering programme, especially Lloyds Bank Foundation.