VCTH designs and delivers programmes that make a difference to local residents and local organisations. Our portfolio of projects reflects our commitment to tackling inequality and strengthening the voluntary sector in Tower Hamlets.
We're experts in volunteering. Through targeted programmes that develop trustees, champion community health and improve employability, we work alongside residents and local organisations to create practical pathways to progress and inclusion.
METs - Minoritised Ethnic Trustees
Volunteer Centre Tower Hamlets recruits local residents from global majority communities and supports them to become charity Trustees. Participants complete a training programme in the essentials of being a Trustee. Increased knowledge and confidence in governance prepares them for future board roles. They are matched to trustee vacancies in participating charities where they contribute their skills, lived experiences and local knowledge.
METs helps local charities strengthen and diversify their trustee board by adding new skills, perspectives and experiences, increasing involvement from Tower Hamlets residents, building legitimacy and
taking action on structural racism.
METs is completely FREE for charities and residents. The next round of METs opens for local residents and local charities in Autumn 2026.
Community Health and Wellbeing Champions
Commissioned by Tower Hamlets Public Health Team, VCTH designed and developed this ground-breaking programme. Community Health & Wellbeing Champions are Tower Hamlets residents. They support the Council’s Public Health Team by promoting health messages, helping local residents access health services and gathering community insight.
We recruit residents from across the borough, particularly those from marginalised communities. Volunteer Champions complete three days of mandatory training to prepare them for their role and gain a qualification. The next round of training for Community Health & Wellbeing Champions will take place in Autumn 2026. Register your interest now.
Improving Employability Through Volunteering (IETV)
Our Improving Employability Through Volunteering (IETV) programme targets Tower Hamlets residents who are unemployed, under‑employed or in unsatisfactory employment to help them on their journey towards work. We support them to develop their knowledge, skills and confidence by matching them to volunteering roles in a wide range of not‑for‑profit organisations. The aim is for participants to gain workplace experience, training and references that will increase their employability.
The majority of volunteers on the programme are from Global Majority communities, especially the Bangladeshi community, and women. Some participants experience barriers to employment such as disabilities, health conditions or language.
To deliver this programme we work with referral agencies, such as Workpath, Job Centres and colleges while building positive relationships with local Volunteer Involving Organisations to secure a wide range of appealing volunteer roles.