The Big Help Out is a nationwide weekend of volunteering and community action from Friday 7th – Sunday 9th June 2024. It aims to: raise awareness of the benefits of volunteering for individuals, communities and good causes; and provide opportunities for people to experience volunteering and make a difference in their community.  

Can you support our annual Neighbourhood Festival and help us to raise awareness about climate change, environment, wellbeing and neighbourhood? - Birmingham Settlement Neighbourhood Futures Festival - Thursday 27th June 2024 – Sunday 30th June 2024, Birmingham Settlement Nature & Wellbeing Centre, Wellbeing Centre, 79 Selwyn Road, Edgbaston Reservoir, B16 0SL (25-minute walk from the city centre).

An exciting and unique opportunity to support the delivery of Birmingham’s Neighbourhood Futures Festival based at the beautiful Birmingham Settlement Nature & Wellbeing Centre at Edgbaston Reservoir. Delivered in partnership with organisations and educators including the University of Birmingham Department for Urban Wellbeing, the festival aims to raise awareness of climate change and support communities with climate transition at local level through an engaging programme of arts, performance, workshops, conversation, talks and debate. 

The festival will create an inclusive space for debate and community action. It will increase resilience and generate community wealth through learning, skill sharing, and knowledge of ecosystems and biodiversity. We aim to ignite a passion and ambition within our neighbourhoods to connect to nature, commit to sustainability and influence equality of access to green spaces.

Visitors and participants to our festival will include: third sector community organisations, local authority representatives, educators, local council members, senior council members, funders, members of the community, neighbourhood groups, green construction companies, performing artists and other reps across diverse groups and organisations.

Volunteers can get involved with a variety of roles such as:

• Serving refreshments in the ‘Red Shed’ community café
• Stewarding support & information stands
• Supporting workshop leads and the delivery team
• Use your research skills to engage with participants using surveys and participatory research methods to help inform evaluation
• Keeping the site clean, safe and tidy
• Sign-posting & welcoming visitors, advising visitors about our activity programme
• Help us to get the message out to target audiences before during and after the event through marketing, social media, photography, film & promotion
• Setting up and setting down festival zones & equipment
• Do you have a skill you’d like to share with others? Let us know!

What skills are we looking for?

Energy, enthusiasm, and a willingness to pitch in as needed! If you are involved in our evaluation you will need to be a confident communicator, approachable, sensitive and be able to facilitate small groups, experience of qualitative research would be helpful for participatory research.

What’s in it for you?

Volunteering is a good opportunity to build confidence, make new friends and have a positive impact. This event will also enable you to connect with local residents, community groups and civic leaders. You will have the opportunity to develop interests in the environment, urban green spaces, community health, wellbeing & sustainability whilst gaining vital transferable skills all while supporting a tangible community event that will create legacy and impact for people and planet. T

There will be opportunities beyond the festival to support the work of Birmingham Settlement through volunteering, student placement, and work experience.

Time Commitment

Volunteers are needed over the duration of the four-day festival which runs from Thursday 27th June to Sunday 30th June, 10.30-17.30. Ideally you will be able to commit to at least one full day slot, although any time you are able to give is appreciated! For research and marketing roles, you can start volunteering with us as soon as you can!

To register your interest in the first instance, please contact: Lizzie Forrester [email protected]