WJR Launches The Big Hand
KEY FACTS
WJR has turned the general volunteering practice on its head; consulting those who would like to be involved about their interests, skills and what opportunities they are keen to participate in and then matching this to the work available
Volunteering through The Big Hand will be on a no-commitment, truly flexible basis
This week (Wednesday 26 March), WJR launched its unique and eagerly anticipated new community initiative – The Big Hand – to shake up the way community members volunteer.
Baroness Neuberger, the Prime Minister’s volunteering champion, was the guest speaker at the event, held at The London Jewish Cultural Centre in Golder’s Green. The 80-plus strong audience was inspired by her insightful views on the topical subject of volunteering.
In an unprecedented move, WJR has turned the general volunteering practice on its head; consulting those who would like to be involved about their interests, skills and what opportunities they are keen to participate in and then matching this to the work available. WJR has enlisted the professional support of Lia Bogod, who will work on a voluntary basis herself as the new Volunteer Coordinator, liaising closely with everyone who wants to get involved.
At the event, Baroness Neuberger commented:
“The motivation to volunteer is routed firmly in the Jewish tradition; our community is structured around it. It is ingrained within us, and there is a cultural pull – yet too often, opportunities are neither appropriate nor easily accessible.
“In my various roles as an ambassador for volunteering, my main goal is to urge all sectors to ensure that they are in a position to provide genuinely useful opportunities for volunteers, and to present clear ‘asks’ – what do they need, where are the skills gaps, how can people make a difference and so forth.
“WJR is doing just this, and The Big Hand is offering a unique chance to effectively get involved with a charity that is managing to steer clear of the bureaucracy so often clouding volunteering – other charities could learn a lot from this initiative.”
Paul Anticoni, Chief Executive of WJR, introduced the concept of The Big Hand and explained the reasoning behind the initiative.
Paul commented:
“WJR has always relied heavily on a group of amazing volunteers and we have always tried to celebrate their support and dedication. Remarkable progress has been made globally, but if we turn our attention to countries just four hours away – where a lot of our families originate from – the need is still great.
“Ultimately, WJR’s goal is to relieve poverty and improve the quality of people’s lives, and we aim to mobilise the UK Jewish community to be able to assist us in this. The key to The Big Hand is in its simplicity - we have laid out a comprehensive list of tasks, we will ask for your availability and your interests and then assign the perfect match. Each role, no matter how small or infrequent, is critical to our work.”
The event was a huge success and saw every single guest sign up to get involved. Volunteering through The Big Hand will be on a no-commitment, truly flexible basis. The programme will allow individuals of any age the chance to use their skills or learn new ones, to benefit WJR recipients – hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.
The event also offered WJR the opportunity to showcase their new, contemporary marketing materials and updated logo, which is closer in line with innovative initiatives such as The Big Hand.
If you are interested in getting involved with The Big Hand, please email thebighand@wjr.org.uk or call 020 8736 1250.
