Volunteer Learning Library
The opportunity to learn new skills is often what attracts people to volunteering. In addition to the role-specific training offered by your chosen organisation, there is a wealth of free online learning available which can enhance your volunteering experience and benefit the people you support in our community.
Introduction to Deaf Awareness
The National Deaf Children's Society offers a free 15-minute module about deaf awareness. It's a great way to start learning about deaf awareness and it provides some essential insights into deafness.
Become a Friend Against Scams
Scams are a sad part of our every day life and we can all do our part to know what signs to look out for to keep ourselves, our family and our community safe. "Friends Against Scams is a National Trading Standards Scams Team initiative, which aims to protect and prevent people from becoming victims of scams by empowering them to take a stand against scams"
Dementia Friends
You can learn about dementia and help our community by becoming a Dementia Friend. You can do this either by watching a short, online video or by attending a local information session.
How to guide someone with sight loss
Guide Dogs offers a wealth of resources, including instructional videos on how to guide someone with sight loss, navigating doorways, getting in and out of cars, going up or down stairs and more.
Could you save a life?
The British Heart Foundation has useful guidance on their website to help you prepare should the unexpected happen, this includes learning CPR in 15 minutes and information on defibrillators.
The Dragonfly Project
"The Dragonfly Project develops community-based support for people affected by domestic abuse. Dragonfly champions are trained to provide a listening ear and a link to domestic abuse support agencies so that people who are isolated have access to help. PARAGON offers training for community members who want to offer signposting to various specialist services."
What to do when someone has a seizure
Epilepsy Action has a free short learning module on what to do when someone has a seizure. The learning covers absence, atonic, focal, myoclonic, tonic and tonic-clonic seizures.
If you're worried about someone else
Samaritans website has some useful information on what to do if you think someone isn't ok. This includes little tips on helping someone to open up when something's up and how to recognise and support someone who may be lonely.
Volunteering Free Courses
OpenLearn, part of The Open University, offer a range of free courses to "expand your skills and knowledge and open the door to new opportunites in the world of volunteering".
Listen Up, Speak Up
It's up to all of us to keep children safe. Take NSPCC's free, 10-minute digital training and learn what to do if you are ever worried about a child or their family.
Online Courses
Here at the Volunteer Centre Dorset we are able to offer a range of FREE online courses, which volunteers in Dorset can complete at a time and date to suit. Courses do not need to be completed in one go. Online courses are offered via Virtual College with a certificate of completion provided.
The courses we currently have available are listed below. Please click on the course name to read the course details from the Virtual College website. We can add new courses to our portfolio as well and are happy to consider requests for additional courses as required.
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Safeguarding
- Child Criminal Exploitation, Gangs and County Lines Training
- Dementia Awareness Training
- E-Safety: Online Safety
- Level 1 - Safeguarding Everyone
- ​Level 2 - Safeguarding Adults
- Level 2 - Safeguarding Children
- Level 2 - Safeguarding Everyone
- Level 3 - Safeguarding Adults
- Level 3 - Safeguarding Children
- LGBTQ+ Awareness Training
- Modern Slavery and Trafficking
- Radicalisation and Extremism
- Safeguarding in Sport
- Safer Recruitment
- Supporting Teenagers and Young People
- Understanding Domestic Abuse
- Understand How to Support Individuals with Autism Spectrum Conditions
- Understanding Professional Boundaries
- Working with Children with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities
Health & Safety
- Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
- Fire Safety Training
- First Aid: Primary Survey
- Health, Safety and Welfare
- Infection Prevention in Social Care
- Manual Handling in the Workplace
- Mental Health Training
- Mental Health, Dementia and Learning Disabilities
- Personal Safety for Lone Workers
- Risk Assessment
- Working at Heights
Compliance
- Bullying and Harassment Training
- Confidentiality in the work place
- Conflict Resolution
- Cyber Security Awareness
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
- Essentials of Data Protection
- Stroke Awareness​
If you are a volunteer and would like to complete an online training course for your volunteering role, please email [email protected] for more information or use the button below. Please note we would need your full name, email address and choice of course(s) to enrol you on an online course.