About HARP
HARP is a local homelessness charity for South Essex. They provide housing, advice, and practical support to help people move from crisis to stability and independence. Corporate volunteering provides practical opportunities for teams to support meaningful projects, enhance services, amplify community impact, and foster team morale.

Regular Volunteering (ongoing commitment)
These roles suit individuals who can commit to a regular day and time.

Skilled volunteering

• Sports and fitness: coaching or leading sessions such as fitness, boxing, football, rugby, or similar
• Arts and crafts: knitting, drawing, painting, or other creative activities
• THRIVE sessions: supporting wellbeing, confidence, and personal development
• ETE (Education, Training and Employment): CV workshops, interview skills, and employability support

General volunteering

• Shop volunteer: one 4-hour shift per week
• Kitchen support: helping provide meals at Bradbury
• Chaperone: accompanying service users to medical appointments, trips, or other essential visits

Micro-volunteering (flexible and one-off)

• Project support for staff: help with systems or projects such as GDPR, finance systems, or digital tools
• Skill-sharing with service users: Excel basics, budgeting workshops, or help using smartphones or laptops
• ETE opportunities: work experience, mentoring, or shadowing
• Events support: helping at events such as HARP24, challenge events, or art exhibitions

Team / Corporate Volunteering (half day or full day)
For corporate teams to work together in practical, hands-on activities, often alongside staff and service users.

Corporate volunteering options

DIY Projects (full day, 10am–4pm):

• Teams of 10–15 improve communal spaces, such as painting a TV lounge or refreshing a garden. Planned with fundraising, volunteer, service, and maintenance teams. HARP asks companies to cover material costs and can provide a list of needed items.
• Building Care Packages (2–3 hours): teams of up to 10 create essential care packages for people newly off the streets. Items may include toiletries, towels, t-shirts, joggers, or THRIVE-specific kits. Companies are asked to cover the cost of items.
• Shop Challenge (4 hours, 10am–2pm): a team of 12 is split across four HARP shops to support staff and volunteers and take part in a fundraising challenge. Teams can bring unwanted clothing, household goods, and media items to sell.
• Event Support (up to 4 hours, in shifts): helping to deliver large events such as HARP24 or THRIVE sports days
  Cooking Together (up to 4 hours): teams prepare food for services with staff supervision. The company provides ingredients for a two-course meal.

Christmas volunteering

• Decorations (2–3 hours): teams work with a named contact at a service, follow a theme, and decorate the Christmas tree and service with staff and residents. Companies cover the cost of items.
• Shop Window Displays (2–3 hours): teams liaise with Sue at the shops, and a team of 12 is split into groups of 4 to decorate shop windows. Displays are judged in a friendly competition. Companies cover the cost of items.
• Gifts and Wrapping (2 hours): teams connect with a service to understand gift requests, with up to £20 per person. Volunteers purchase, wrap, and include a Christmas card, then gifts are delivered and placed under the tree.

If you’d like to find out more or offer your support, please contact:

Tara Carty, Corporate Partnerships Manager
tara.carty@harphomeless.org.uk
Mob: 07856910786