Volunteers
Join other local residents in taking action to protect our beautiful environment. It's the best response we can take as individuals to the climate and nature crises - and it's fun!
PeCAN has several projects that currently need volunteers. For example, you could help our speakers to run a school workshop; co-host the PeCAN stall at local fairs and festivals; welcome new people at the Eco Cafe; organise public talks and walks; help to run PeCAN as a Trustee.
Check out the list below and contact us if you'd like to get involved.
PeCAN has adopted a number of policies to support its staff and volunteers, including Volunteers, Health & Safety and Lone Working, and Safeguarding.
Education outreach volunteer
We are looking for volunteers to help with our education outreach. This is part of the charity’s work to help the younger generation develop their understanding of climate change and what they might be able to do within their communities. We run assemblies and workshops in both primary and secondary schools as well as for local youth groups and are looking for people to assist us in delivering those sessions.
What's involved?
- Join PeCAN’s presenters in schools/clubs and support them with their delivery of workshops and assemblies
- Help devise content for assemblies and workshops
What's the time commitment?
- You can offer as many or as few sessions as you like. Each one would need around half a day, including preparation
Some experience of education (primary or secondary or extra curricular) might be useful but really you just have to enjoy working with young people!
If you would like to find out more please contact Rachel Ritchie via our Contact Us page.
Business Engagement
PeCAN is seeking a motivated volunteer to help local businesses become more sustainable.
What's involved?
- Oversee PeCAN's business engagement, working with staff and volunteers
- Talk with local businesses, either directly or through business networks or events and workshops etc.
- Help businesses to participate in the Green South Downs business accreditation scheme
- Develop and share useful knowledge, for example about grant funding, circular economy, how to calculate a carbon footprint etc.
- Contribute to the 2024 Petersfield Green Business of the Year award, which PeCAN sponsored in 2023
- Any ideas you want to develop, for example on packaging, solar PV, waste, energy, e-vans, sustainable agriculture etc.
- You could also apply to become a trustee of PeCAN.
What's the time commitment?
- A regular weekly commitment of a few hours would be ideal but essentially you could put in as much or as little as you wish.
The ideal person will be local, will enjoy learning about business sustainability, and be motivated to help our local businesses become more sustainable.
If the person has a background in, or experience of, managing finances for an organisation, that would be a bonus.
If you would like to apply or find out more about what's involved, please contact Imogen via our Contact Us page.
Stallholder
We are looking for volunteers to help run our stalls at various events throughout the year, including summer fairs and festivals. This is a fun and flexible role, you can join a friendly team on the stall for a couple of hours or longer if you wish.
What's involved?
- Interact with members of the public and encourage them to sign up to our newsletter and events
- Talk about different projects associated with PeCAN such as nature recovery, or schools and community engagement and how people can get involved (we’ll brief you beforehand)
- Help to set up and/or pack away the stall
What's the time commitment?
- From two hours up to a full day
If you would like to find out more please contact us.
Events organiser
PeCAN needs volunteers to help us organise public events including walks, film screenings, public talks and the Eco Fair 2024. We are currently looking for help putting on small events for local business owners (e.g. bringing in experts to talk about sustainable packaging, carbon footprinting etc).
What's involved?
- Work with PeCAN staff to plan and organise events including finding venues and securing speakers and dates
- Help to promote and run events
- Help us think of new event ideas
What's the time commitment?
- This could be just for one event or more regular support. For a single event, expect a few hours a week for about a month
If you would like to find out more please contact us.
Eco Cafe host
Petersfield's Eco Café, supported by PeCAN, runs every Tuesday morning from 10am - midday at Winton House. We also run an evening 'cafe' once a month, usually on a Wednesday or Thursday from 7pm at Ruby & Monty's. We are looking for volunteers to help host these regular get-togethers.
What's involved?
- Welcome newcomers and regular attendees
- Help to make teas and coffees
- Chat to people about what we could collectively do to help protect the environment in our town
- Share news and projects related to PeCAN and opportunities for people to get involved
What's the time commitment?
- Two hours plus set-up time. A regular commitment, such as hosting once a month, would be ideal
If you would like to find out more please contact us.
Active Travel volunteer
Help us to campaign for improved cycling and walking routes in and around Petersfield, including the Rother Valley Way (a wonderful proposal to create a walking and cycling route between Petersfield and Midhurst along the old railway line).
What's involved?
- Work with PeCAN’s active travel lead to map routes, identify improvements, and promote them to local authorities through written consultations and meetings
- Help us to build evidence through well-designed surveys and prepare business cases for specific improvements
- Liaise with stakeholder groups, such as the Friends of the Rother Valley Way and Petersfield Town Council’s Town Development Committee
- Write blogs and articles
- Prior experience of route planning is not essential, but an interest in promoting cycling/walking is needed, as is a collaborative approach and professional skills
- Experience of mapping/drawing tools would be useful
What's the time commitment?
- One day a week, more or less depending on your availabililty
If you would like to find out more please contact us.
Planning application reviewer
We are looking for volunteers to help us review planning applications and submit comments about active travel, impacts on biodiversity, and the energy efficiency of dwellings. Can be done from home.
What's involved?
- Help us to decide which planning applications to respond to
- Help us to assemble evidence and submit planning objections or comments
- Liaise with interested individuals and community groups
- Monitor new developments during and after the construction phase
- Contribute to PeCAN’s responses to ad hoc consultations about planning policy, such as on Local Plans
What's the time commitment?
- As much or as litttle as you wish
Prior experience of planning is not essential. An interest in either promoting cycling/walking, or some background knowledge about buildings emissions or nature and biodiversity would be helpful.
If you would like to find out more please contact us.
Fundraiser
PeCAN is seeking a volunteer to help with our fundraising. This is a crucial role that enables much of PeCAN's work.
What's involved?
- help PeCAN trustees to develop our fundraising strategy
- find funding and grant opportunities
- contribute to writing grant applications
- create public fundraising campaigns
What's the time commitment?
- Up to half a day a week
Please contact the treasurer, Peter Carver, via our Contact Us page, for more details.