Celebrating the Invaluable Contribution of our Volunteers

Volunteers’ Week is a national campaign celebrating the invaluable contribution that volunteers make. It starts on Thursday June 1st and runs until June 7th. Look out for Facebook and Twitter updates over the next few days, we’ll be sharing some of the stories of how our volunteers have made a difference. To kick things off, we’ve spoken to Chloe, our volunteer recruiter, about her role, what volunteers for Leeway can expect from the experience, and the special plans she’s put in place for Volunteers’ Week. 

Volunteer Recruitment and Management

Chloe is in charge of the recruitment of all Leeway volunteers across Norfolk and Waveney and managing the volunteer programme. As well as being the link between staff and volunteers, Chloe is responsible for ensuring that our Volunteer Policy is kept up-to-date. She also leads essential training sessions specific to volunteers’ roles.

Chloe joined us a year ago and began reviewing our volunteer programme. Within the year, we have expanded from 11 volunteers to 30 volunteers – largely thanks to Chloe’s infectious enthusiasm for getting things done.

Chloe summed up her experience working for Leeway:

“I get so much satisfaction from recruiting such brilliant volunteers at Leeway, who make a difference no matter how big or small their contribution. They are vital to the charity in extending our work – we couldn’t do what we do without them! We are so grateful for all their support, and are always looking for more help from anyone interested in getting involved.”

Becoming a Volunteer

Because of the sensitive nature of our charitable work with people who have experienced domestic abuse, we have a thorough procedure in place for recruiting our volunteers. To join our team, you will need a completed application form and two references. Following an informal interview and Disclosure Barring Service checks (DBS), we have training courses and an induction process that our volunteers attend before joining a team.  

Appreciated Assistance

We have a lot of work on and there are all sorts of ways in which volunteers can help, for example:

• Ambassadors. Raise awareness of domestic abuse and the profile of Leeway in your local community in a number of ways, so we can reach more people who need us.
  
• Workshops. If you have a particular skill set, you can share your knowledge by running workshops for the women and children in our refuges.
  
• Help Line. To support our busy frontline services with administrative tasks.    
  
• Fundraising and events. We have a full calendar of events and fundraising activities. Money raised makes a significant difference to the charity and the services we provide. 
  
• Befriending programme. The women in our refuges have had traumatic experiences and our befrienders are there to help them adjust to their new life.
  
• Donations. Given by kind members of the public, these need sorting and coordinating so they reach the women and children who desperately need them. 
  

Recruitment and Recognition

We’ll be launching our Volunteers’ Week campaign with a recruitment drive in the library of the Forum in Norwich City Centre between 11am and 3pm on Thursday June 1st. We’ll be blitzing social media with #ivolunteer – sharing the stories of how our volunteers have made a difference. Later in the week, this blog will feature slightly more in-depth stories from three of our volunteers.

Finally, we will be hosting a big thankyou event for all of our current volunteers. Leeway patron, and presenter on BBC Radio Norfolk, Chrissie Jackson, has confirmed she’ll be coming and we plan to construct 100 origami Birds of Freedom with messages of hope for people experiencing domestic abuse.

If you would like more information on our volunteer programme, please get in touch. You can call us on 0300 561 0077 or email volunteer@leewayna.org.uk or see our current volunteer opportunities on Do-it.