Volunteering

Are you someone who wants to help make a difference?

Do you have a few hours a week to spare?

North Derbyshire Women’s Aid offers a range of volunteering opportunities.

For further information on how to become a volunteer, contact Kate Witham 01246 238248

or Email us (Please write ‘Volunteer’ in the subject box on your email.)

 

Receptionist Volunteers

NDWA is currently looking for volunteers who may be able to provide a receptionist role in our advice centre.  We are open Monday to Thursday 10a.m.- 4 p.m. for clients to drop in for support and advice.  The volunteers role would be to welcome, offer refreshments, put clients at their ease and establish who they would like to see.  They may have called in for advice or may have an appointment with a counsellor, solicitor or a worker for another of NDWA service areas.

Group Project Volunteers

NDWA provides a range of projects, offering various forms of support for adults and children who are or have been experiencing domestic violence. These projects are based both at NDWA premises, with the aim to:-

• Reduce the risk of isolation, by giving people the chance to increase their social networks in a safe, welcoming environment.
• Provide mutual encouragement and support; the opportunity to meet others who have had similar experiences.
• Increase awareness and understanding of domestic violence, and the impact it can have; helping people to build confidence, and realise they are not to blame.

Current projects include the Freedom Programme – a project aimed at reducing domestic violence through increased awareness about the beliefs and origins of domestic abuse and a self help/survivors group.

Group Project volunteers provide invaluable support to groups and group work projects by:

• Liaising with NDWA worker involved to understand:
  • The aim of the group or session
  • Your role in supporting the service user to achieve that aim.
• Helping service users to feel welcome / part of the group.
• Supporting planned group activities.
• Encourage and support service users to participate in planned activities.
• Report any concerns relating to safeguarding children / health and safety directly to the NDWA worker involved /  senior worker in line with NDWA procedures – as detailed in training.

Service Promotion Volunteers

Service Promotion volunteers provide invaluable support in promoting the services provided by North Derbyshire Women’s Aid and raising awareness of domestic violence. Increasing awareness can help:

• To show people who may be, or have been experiencing domestic violence that support is available (many people suffer in silence because they don’t know that help is available).
• To increase understanding about the impact domestic violence can have on the lives of adults and children, In turn this can help to identify services and support networks that are needed.
• To challenge the myths about Domestic Violence and show it for what it is - a crime! Helping to reduce the stigma, encourage people to talk about and report it; and move towards a world where people can live safe and without fear of abuse.

Service Promotion volunteers will take part in activities in order to raise awareness of domestic abuse and promote NDWA services to other agencies and potential service users, this includes:

• Attending events, training sessions and presentations
• Assisting in the design of leaflets, display boards and posters.
• Preparing and distributing information packs.
• Gathering information to include in the NDWA website