Rochdale Community Team

What is my role? 

I’m Julie. I’m the Community Development Worker in the Rochdale team. My role is to strengthen our community and voluntary groups by providing support to run their group, find and secure resources and work together to do more. ​I support people get help, provide opportunities to get better connected to what is going on and find the support they need. 

What most excites me about this role? 

There are hundreds of people changing lives, improving neighbourhoods, and contributing positively within our borough. It is my role to help offer a range of support to strengthen communities and get more done. I love that we can help empower local people and communities to identify what matters to them and turn ideas into action. I like being able to signpost the sector to use our development tools and techniques to ensure the VCFSE is operating safely and efficiently. 

What drew me to work at Action Together? 

I am born and raised in the Rochdale borough and have worked for over 35 years supporting groups in the sport and physical activity sector. When I saw the job advertised in 2021, I knew this was my opportunity to get back working in Rochdale so I could apply my skills, face new challenges, and work within the VCFSE sector again. 

I know that our VCFSE sector has so much to give to this borough and if I can help just a little bit to make a meaningful impact, contribute to a larger goal, or make a difference in their field I want to be there, at the forefront of their development and success. I have so much respect and admiration for all the volunteers who do what they do through passion and love for their chosen cause. It’s such a humbling role. 

My hopes for Rochdale are... 

That our VCFSE sector can thrive and flourish through adversity and finally have the recognition they deserve through sustainable long-term funding. I want to know that Action Together will be around in years to come to continue to offer the connection, strength, influence and development opportunities that the sector needs to stay strong.

What is my role? 

My name is Asma, and I am one of the Volunteer Support Officers in the Rochdale Team. My role involves assisting individuals who are seeking volunteering opportunities by connecting them with local groups and businesses that offer such positions. I help these individuals find suitable roles by considering their interests, skills, knowledge, experience, and hobbies. Additionally, I support them in using our system so they can independently apply for volunteering opportunities and determine what roles would be most beneficial and appealing to them. Another key part of my role is supporting local organisations, communities, charities, social enterprises, and businesses. I work closely with job centres to support people within these organisations in finding suitable volunteer roles. This includes coordinating with workplaces to allow employees to volunteer, whether on a monthly or annual basis, depending on their policies. 

What most excites me about this role? 

What excites me most about this role is the opportunity to make a tangible difference in people's lives. I love helping individuals on a journey that boosts their confidence, self-esteem, and helps them come out of isolation. Volunteering offers numerous health and personal benefits, something I have experienced firsthand. Having suffered from severe mental health issues in the past, I found that volunteering played a crucial role in my recovery. It provided me with skills, experience, and a transitional space between isolation and employment. This flexibility allowed me to gain knowledge and confidence, establish a routine, and believe in myself. Seeing others blossom and become confident and empowered is incredibly fulfilling. Working with people and empowering them to use their voices and skills is something I deeply enjoy. Volunteering reconnects individuals with their community, enhancing their well-being in many ways. Now, as part of Action Together, I find immense satisfaction in watching others thrive, knowing that I played a part in their journey. 

What drew me to work at Action Together? 

What drew me to Action Together is my positive experience with the organisation from multiple angles. I founded my own Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in 2021, which started as a community group in 2020. Throughout this journey, Action Together provided me with invaluable support. As a member, I received assistance with governance, policies, advocacy, funding, and organisational growth. Their continuous updates, free training sessions, and unwavering support were instrumental in pushing my charity forward. I later applied to be a trustee of Action Together, to my delight, I was accepted and had the chance to meet other trustees and observe how deeply the organisation cares about its members, communities, staff, and volunteers. Action Together truly lives by its values: 'Believe it's possible', 'Strengthen others', and 'Be true'. They have consistently demonstrated these principles in their work with me, my organisation, and other groups. After years of volunteering, I felt ready to apply for the role of Volunteer Support Officer. I was particularly attracted to Action Together’s values, their ethical approach, and their genuine care for employees. As a single mom, I appreciate their flexibility and understanding of staff's diverse life responsibilities. When I found out I got the job, I was thrilled and overjoyed. I am excited to give my all in this role and continue making a positive impact through Action Together. 

My hopes for Rochdale are... 

My hope for Rochdale is that it becomes a safe place for women, girls, and families. I want Rochdale to openly address difficult and stigmatized topics, creating a community that is unafraid to discuss important issues. I also hope that local authorities can develop strong relationships with the voluntary and community (VC) and faith and social care (FSC) sectors. Rather than working separately, these entities should collaborate and help everyone accept each other's experiences. Additionally, I hope we can help people build their confidence, resilience, and self-esteem so they can make independent choices and have a brighter future. I envision a community where people feel more connected through volunteering, leading some to pursue further education or employment, or simply gain valuable life lessons. Ultimately, I hope we can build a foundation for the next generation to thrive.

What is my role? 

I'm Vicky, the Community Development Worker for Action Together's Rochdale team, working within the VCFSE sector in the Heywood Township. I support groups to find funding, gain suitable training and create invaluable links and connections with others locally, that will help to strengthen the wider community of Heywood as a whole.

What most excites me about this role? 

I am very familiar with many of the wonderful projects and community spaces in Heywood, and am excited to work in this area. I enjoy meeting new people and supporting them to gain the skills needed through training, finding funding opportunities, offering networking opportunities where people can come together to share ideas, address issues and find solutions for a wide range of community needs. 

What drew me to work at Action Together? 

I have worked in partnership with the team at Action Together for many years, both with the Volunteering Team, and when working with a range of community projects. I have always found their support and partnership work invaluable and have seen the real benefit that they bring to the VCFSE sector. They not only support new projects but give people with lived experience the opportunity to work together to make a difference in their own communities. 

This work has inspired me, and I felt that I would like to become part of a team that has such a positive impact on our communities across the Rochdale Borough. 

My hopes for Rochdale are... 

I was born and grew up in Rochdale and have worked locally within the VCFCE sector within the arts and communities' field for many years. I see so much potential for growth, new creativity and innovation across the Rochdale borough, driven by passionate individuals and groups with a wide variety of skills and talents, who believe in the benefits of their personal projects and causes.  

With the right support, the funding that it deserves, and the ongoing support of Action Together the VCFSE sector in Rochdale has the potential to thrive so that all people feel supported and welcome, and in turn are able to fulfil their own individual potential. 

What is my role? 

My name is Hayley and I’m the Grants and Membership Administrator in the Rochdale team at Action Together. I help to get funding to where it's needed most in communities across the Rochdale Borough. 

What is my role? 

My role involves administering the Rochdale Communities Fund and the internal funding opportunities within this fund that are available for VCFSE groups to apply for across the Rochdale Borough. Another main part of my role is supporting our ever-growing membership and ensuring that all members are aware of what support they have access to. I feel it is really important that all members receive regular communication to ensure that we are led by what they want and need. 

What most excites me about this role? 

Investment is such an important part of the work that all the amazing VCFSE groups do in communities, so being involved in the grants process and being able to share positive news when a group is successful in applying for funding is a great part of my role. I am really passionate about seeing members develop and grow in their own journey with support from the Action Together team and hearing how their projects that we have supported have had positive impacts on individuals and families. 

What drew me to work at Action Together? 

I have worked for Action Together for just over four years and was the first person to start as part of the Rochdale Team - I was instantly interested in applying for my role when I saw it advertised after reading Action Together’s values; Strengthen others, Believe it’s possible and Be True. I enjoy being part of a team who are all so passionate and enthusiastic about the work that we do in supporting and strengthening the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector. 

My hopes for Rochdale are... 

That our members and the whole of the VCFSE sector continues to grow and thrive, and that more investment is available for VCFSE organisations so that they can continue the invaluable work that they do in communities across the Borough.