Team Volunteering Opportunities

  1. Sourcing challenge- there are certain items that the charity needs (photocopier, lockers, laptops, tinned food, fresh bread and milk, single beds etc). We challenge corporate teams to use their resourcefulness, enterprising minds and contacts to source as many items (new or second-hand) as possible in 7 hours. Teams are given 2 computers, a phone line, Mustard Tree literature, Mustard Tree t-shirts and use of a van for the day. Challenge Aneka meets The Apprentice!
  2. Warehouse teams – At the centre of our operations is a large warehouse of food, clothing, household items and furniture. There is always a need for teams to help sort, clean, test and display the large quantity of items that come in every day.
  3. On the Vans – We have 3 vans delivering furniture to our clients and picking up donated furniture from across Greater Manchester. Each van has two assistants who help with the navigation and loading and unloading of the vans. A good choice for those who want to get out and about, fancy some physical work and to get to know some of the MT characters.
  4. Client Support – we see between 50 -70 clients every day, giving support from a listening ear to help in choosing a sofa. The clients are from diverse walks of life and have varying levels of need, the hope is that they find a safe space when they visit and are provided with any resources they have genuine need of. We provide induction and training for all individuals taking this role and would encourage initial shadowing and working in pairs. This particular activity requires a minimum of half a day.
  5. Decorate and renovate – the Mustard Tree occupies a large and slightly tired warehouse on Oldham road. There is always the need for eager teams of painters and decorators as well as those skilled in various repair tasks. Over the next couple of months the following specific tasks will need to be completed as part of our expansion: kitchen fitting, preparing and furnishing our basement ‘safe-space’, painting, re-flooring, partitioning and basic plumbing.
  6. GMP/Crimestoppers Questionnaire – We are currently carrying out research into our clients’ experience of crime and the police in Manchester. Many of those we work with a regular victims of crime and many don’t report this, we are keen to explore ways of changing this. This is the first part of that process. This requires a small team who are comfortable talking with clients and completing a short questionnaire.
  7. Mentoring – an essential part of our Freedom employment project, supporting individuals as they go through the 20 week programme gaining work skills and rebuilding motivation and confidence. Individuals on the programme are generally either ex-offenders, young offenders, ex-addicts, ex-homeless and the long term unemployed. All are making a new start and the value of someone to share frustrations, challenges and successes cannot be under-estimated. As a mentor the commitment is 1 hour per week to meet with the mentee and 10 minutes to complete a simple progress feedback form. There are optional team building activities such as rock climbing, paint-balling once a month.
  8. Skills mentors – Freedom Project volunteers regularly require a helping hand to move forward in their life goals. Skills mentors offeradvice and support, for example, with job searching, CVs, applications, opening a bank account, and IT training. Mentors and project volunteers may meet up for a one-off session (1-1½ hours), or agree on a series of regular meetings. Ideally skills mentorscould provide support to different volunteers on the project.
  9. Meal Preparation – every day we feed around 40-50 individuals who are on our training programme, visiting 110 Oldham road or accessing the other charities in the building. We have kitchen managers who coordinate small teams in preparing and serving the food, we welcome and willing teams who fancy working with our kitchen manager to prepare a delicious meal.
  10. Soup running – a frontline activity meeting, listening to and feeding some of the most needy individuals in the city. The aim of these evenings is to make contact, build relationships and feed the street homeless and hungry, with a view to helping them make steps towards more stable and healthy lifestyles. The soup runs happen twice each week on Friday and Sunday evenings. The Friday soup runs start at 6:30pm and normally finish by 9:30pm. The Sunday soup runs start at 5:00pm and normally finish by 8:30pm. The soup runs start at the Mustard Tree building where the team (a team leader, a deputy and between 4 and 8 team members) prepare the hot food and drink for the evening. The team are then briefed and head down to the street outreach site in the city centre. Around 40 -70 individuals will be fed in the course of the evening. The team then head back to the Mustard Tree building to wash up, debrief and then head home.
  11. Eccles Branch – Mustard Tree has just opened a second branch in Eccles in response to client and refers expressing a lack of provision in the area. We have a small premises that acts as a retail outlet as well as providing support for local people, this is suitable for small teams of 3 – 4.
  12. Specialist advice and support – If you have specific skills such as design, legal advice or accountancy, there are various ways in which we could make good use of skills. Examples of this might be running a simple budgeting course for our clients, providing advice and support for the review and re-writing of our Business Plan, assist with the strategy and design of our marketing materials etc. We are always happy to hear your ideas on how your team’s skills can be best put to use. Current specialist needs – IT systems analysis for new premises, advice around implementing a new point of sale system.
  13. Garden/allotment – opportunity to work outdoors, preparing beds, digging, getting involved in the natural environment and working in harmony to grow, plant and experience working in a garden/plot.