Tameside Community Team

What is my role? 

I'm Tayyaba, the Sytems Change Facilitator for Action Together in Tameside. My role is to advance our approaches to enabling social change through partnerships and collaboration. I facilitate network meetings with various organisations and individuals around specific areas such as; Refugees and Asylum Seekers, The Diversity Network, Poverty and VCFSE in order to develop collaborative projects that address the root of inequalities. 

What most excites me about this role? 

I've only been working here since July 2023 and the one thing that I love about this role is meeting some amazing individuals and organisations that do incredible work for the community. It's amazing to see how many passionate and worthwhile causes are being worked on. I'm really excited to bring organisations together and work collaboratively to make a positive change in Tameside. 

What drew me to work at Action Together? 

In my previous roles I worked on a few projects and campaigns that involved working with charities and not-for-profits across Manchester. It was incredibly rewarding and fun to meet people who put so much time and effort into creating change for the local community. As someone who is so passionate about eliminating social and racial inequalities, coming across Action Together felt like a 'no brainer' as it brought my passions together so well! 

My hopes for Tameside are... 

My hopes are to help create intrinsic change within the area. There are a lot of systemic issues that need to be worked on, but I'm really excited to play a part to elevate and empower the community of Tameside!

What is my role? 

I look after Miles of Smiles. My role involves working with volunteer drivers to arrange transport for people attending health and wellbeing appointments. 

What most excites me about this role? 

It’s a privilege to work with an amazing team of volunteer drivers and help people get to their appointments. 

What drew me to work at Action Together? 

I came to Action Together through volunteering and found a way to stay. My hopes for Tameside are... That we can continue to help people in a positive and practical way.

What is my role? 

I am the Tameside Volunteer Support Officer. I am the lead for Tameside’s volunteer brokerage service. I work with all of Tameside’s charities and community groups and support them with the recruitment of their volunteers and everything that is part of that process. I also work with people that live in Tameside that want to become a volunteer and support them to choose a volunteer role that they will love and that they will get the most from. 

What most excites me about this role?

I love my job and I can’t imagine doing any other! Seeing the difference volunteering makes inspires and motivates me every single day. Over the last few years, we have seen some big changes to the way we work and how we connect with local people. These changes have been really positive and have meant that we can reach more people than ever before. I’m excited to see what the future of volunteering in Tameside looks like and how we can continue to develop our service to meet with current trends and the needs of the borough. 

During the pandemic, the number of people that registered to volunteer in order to help people in need was off the charts. We have seen the same every year when we run the Tameside Toy Appeal too. Countless people coming forward, wanting to help others. It’s very humbling and I feel privileged to be a part of it all. 

I have been working with lots of businesses, that want to volunteer their time in Tameside. We have been able to make some fantastic links between businesses and our groups and charities, and some incredible work has already been carried out. I’m excited to see how we can develop our Employer Supported Volunteering (ESV) offer even further. As well as strengthening my relationships with the businesses I am currently working with. 

What drew me to work at Action Together? 

My journey with this organisation began almost 15 years ago when I started volunteering with what was then know as T3SC, Volunteer Centre Tameside, and Voluntary Action Oldham. I also volunteered with Tameside Council’s Right to Read Scheme, The Tameside Reporter, The Saddleworth Independent, The Shaw and Crompton Eye, and Stalybridge Magazine. What can I say? I got the bug and enjoyed volunteering so much, I just wanted to do more and more of it. It was whilst volunteering that I realised that working within the voluntary sector was where I wanted to be. When a paid position became available with T3SC I jumped at the chance to be part of such an incredible organisation. A few years later, the position of Volunteer Support Officer opened. It was meant to be. I’m very passionate about volunteering, the difference it makes and how it can change people’s lives having done so much volunteering myself. I love that I am on the other side of the table now and that I get to be a part of so many people’s volunteer journeys. 

My hopes for Tameside are... 

My hope for Tameside is that it becomes an even better place to live, work, study, and volunteer. Ideally, I would like to see more people volunteering. I believe it is something that everyone should get involved in, even if it’s a one off. It makes such a huge impact and the benefits for our communities can be massive. I want to be able to reach even more people living in Tameside and inspire them to become volunteers. I want to tackle the current barriers into volunteering, making our service even more accessible, to as many people as possible. Volunteer opportunities should be open to everyone, and I want to work with all of Tameside’s groups to ensure that is happening across the board.

What is my role? 

I am the Community Development Officer for Tameside. I support existing community groups, charities and not for profit organisations. I also support people to set up new activities and projects in the areas that they live and get more involved in their local communities. I can help with setting up a new group, funding searches and how to apply for funding, making sure you have the right policies and procedures – anything that helps your project or group to be successful! 

What most excites me about this role? 

The thing that excites me about my role is that I meet amazing people, doing amazing things in their local communities and I get to support them and be part of that journey! 

What drew me to work at Action Together? 

I have worked at Action Together since 2005 in various roles. I saw an advert for a job asking for someone who was passionate about their local community and applied. The rest is history. 

My hopes for Tameside are... 

For a strong and sustainable community and voluntary sector and that Tameside is a place where people can feel happy, healthy and valued.

What is my role? 

The role of Community Development Officer consists of supporting the voluntary sector in many different ways to enhance and continue safe delivery of activity throughout Tameside supporting different people in many ways. Our main aim is to make groups and organisations sustainable through structured support and look at ways of finding solutions from any issues that may arise and bring groups/organisations together to support each other. 

What most excites me about this role? 

The part which most excites me is when a group, or organisation, receive funding through my support and deliver projects that support the community. I find it really empowering when a group grows from strength to strength through development of their own leaders who show real passion to give back to the community. 

What drew me to work at Action Together? 

I enjoy working with lots of different people who want to grow ideas from grassroots, and support them to achieve their relevant aims and objectives. I’m passionate about Tameside and want to assist in making the borough deliver a quality voluntary support mechanism, connecting different groups and organisations together to enhance delivery and learn from each other. 

My hopes for Tameside are...

 To continue to provide accessible activities that make the borough a safer and enjoyable place to be for all its residents. I want to create support mechanisms between groups to empower each other to deliver quality services, whilst supporting each other in the process. I want the groups to feel like they can approach me with any issue or problem and I can hopefully find a solution.

What is my role? 

I do a bit of everything! I produce our 'Tameside Community News' which is our fortnightly eBulletin to Tameside groups, informing and highlighting news from the sector. I support the Action Together Comms Team and I work with our Funding Team to promote funds such as Use Your Energy, which aims to get young people more active, more often and finally, I also work with our Community Wellbeing Team supporting their place-based work in local communities across Tameside. 

What most excites me about this role? 

I am so fortunate to get to see and report on the inspirational work that Tameside groups and volunteers do, day in, day out. A fundamental part of community development is about building and strengthening relationships. What excites me most is working collaboratively with people who make a difference and who care about each other and where they live. 

What drew me to work at Action Together? 

The core values of Action Together are important to me both personally and professionally. I wanted to work with like-minded people who are committed to strengthening communities, I also wanted learn from others, share and develop my skills in community development and asset based working. 

My hopes for Tameside are... 

That the sector continues to grow, becomes stronger, more influential, receives more recognition, becomes more economically sustainable and that you keep doing what you do best - looking out for each other.

What is my role? 

I am the Tameside Volunteer Support Officer. I work within Tameside’s volunteering team to raise the profile of volunteering in the community, supporting both individuals interested in volunteering and volunteer managers in Tameside’s VCFSE sector to ensure a high-quality service. 

What most excites me about this role? 

I am excited about the opportunity to directly support volunteers in Tameside. Contributing to the growth and development of the volunteering community and facilitating meaningful connections between individuals and organisations to create positive change is something I am eager to do. The role’s focus on building relationships with local people, community groups, and agencies perfectly aligns with my collaborative approach to work. 

What drew me to work at Action Together? 

Action Together’s commitment to strengthening communities through volunteering aligns with my values and aspirations. The organisation’s focus on collaboration, empowerment, and social justice matches my belief in the transformative power of collective action. 

My hopes for Tameside are... 

I hope to see volunteering become a more common and accessible activity for everyone in Tameside. My goal is to make it easier for people to find opportunities that match their skills and interests. I believe volunteering can strengthen the sense of community, and I want to help as many people as possible get involved, even in small ways.

What is my role? 

My role is Early Help Partnership Officer - I provide a link between families who need help, voluntary sector support organisations and statutory sector bodies, especially the council.

What most excites me about this role? 

The variety in my day-to-day tasks is both challenging and motivating, from direct support groups for families including the Parent Peer Support Group and Guardian Angels (for grandparents raising grandchildren) to meetings for the development of a range of local delivery programmes. 

What drew me to work at Action Together? 

I love that I can bring a wide range of skills, knowledge and experience to help others - that is what drew me to this role at Action Together.

My hopes for Tameside are... 

My aspiration for Tameside is a continued improvement in the range and quality of services and support and therefore a positive impact on the quality of life for all residents.

What is my role? 

I’m Saman, the Tameside grants and membership administrator for Action Together. I administer grants for VCFSE organisations in Tameside and promote and help groups to find funding for their organisations. I am also involved in welcoming new member organisations to Action Together to introduce them to the support we have to offer and know more about the work that is being done on the ground by VCFSE groups.  

What most excites me about this role? 

What most excites me is working with VCFSE organisations that are delivering amazing, much-needed projects in Tameside. Whatever area they may be aimed at, whether it be: families and young children, community wellbeing, nature and wildlife, or tackling racial inequalities, it has been great to see the different projects being run and the vital work that is being done by VCFSE organisations behind the scenes. 

What drew me to work at Action Together? 

I have had previous experience working as a community fund administrator so getting the opportunity to join Action Together as a grants administrator felt right. As someone who is really conscious of tackling the root causes of social and economic inequalities, working as part of Action Together to play a part in the voluntary sector and help break down barriers faced by people and communities felt like the perfect role for me. 

My hopes for Tameside are... 

One of my hopes for Tameside is to strengthen and hopefully increase the incredible work that is being done by VCFSE organisations. My hope is that through the work being done within communities, as wider networks and collaborations grow, we can start to tackle the social and economic deprivation even if it is just for one small area.