In some ways, yes. Most of the skills you will need are patience, warmth, understanding and adaptability. However, there are some role specific qualities and it is worth looking at the role specifications to get a more precise idea. For example, you may need a driving licence and car, or you might need experience in care, or even a confident personality! We also ask to complete a DBS check, as you will often work directly with the women we support. We are experts on the volunteer roles, so give us an email if you are unsure. We are sure we can find the right role for you.

All volunteers receive Safeguarding training, but there are other opportunities to learn extra on topics such as Lone Working, Drugs & Alcohol, Health & Safety and Equality & Diversity. We encourage our volunteers to take part in training.

This is based on which volunteering role you are most interested in. You might want to volunteer regularly, for example delivering food boxes weekly. Alternatively, if you prefer something more ad-hoc, you can volunteer within fundraising and organise an event as and when it suits you. Our volunteers are like a big family, so the more time you volunteer with us, the more opportunities to build warm rapports, train and maybe even lead groups in the future.

We meet with all our volunteers as part of the recruitment process. Here you can really explain what you would like to achieve and what you’d feel comfortable with. You can discuss roles before signing up and of course, you don’t need to be restricted to just one role! It is very important to us that our volunteers are happy and passionate about our mission to support vulnerable women.

As we rely so strongly on volunteers, we like to make sure our volunteers feel appreciated. The Volunteer Coordinator will always be on hand and encourages volunteers to meet as a group regularly. You will meet the staff members and be treated as one of the team. You will receive training and future references from us. We also host volunteer events twice a year to treat our volunteers and celebrate our successes. Not to mention volunteering is great for building confidence, form friendships and makes a huge difference to your local community.

Your Volunteer Coordinator will be there to help you every step of the way, but so will your fellow volunteers. The introduction process will be slow and supported, and in the first instance you will rarely be left on your own. It is important to us that you feel comfortable in your role, because then you feel secure and safe.

After filling in an application form, you will have an initial meeting with the Volunteer Coordinator and after references and DBS checks have been taken up, you will be invited to come along to meet the team. Depending on the role, you could start within one week! Some roles require a bit more training and relationship building and can therefore become a gradual start.

Fill in the Volunteer Enquiry form here or email the volunteer coordinator: kriss.safeandsounddorset@gmail.com