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Volunteering at Springfield Mind.

 

Springfield Mind is one of many venues where you may wish to be a volunteer in your local area. We can offer you a free, confidential and informal appointment where our advisers can provide information and guidance on any aspect of volunteering.


Put simply, volunteering is about choosing to give some of your time (unpaid) to benefit the environment or people in the community… and it's a whole lot more than that!


We understand that volunteering can be a highly rewarding and enjoyable experience. That's why our advisers take the time to discuss your interests, likes and dislikes, and availability before suggesting some opportunities that might appeal to you.

 

Your reasons for volunteering will influence the type of role and organisation you choose. Some volunteers feel very strongly about a particular issue or cause and want to help change things.

Others want to improve things in their local community or environment, or may want to use or develop their skills.


Volunteering can be a great way to gain experience for paid work. Volunteering should not affect your entitlement to state benefits, ask your Volunteer Centre adviser for more information.

 

Questions you might want to consider:

Have you: had previous contact with an organisation that you would like to support?


Do you: want to volunteer to work with certain groups, e.g. children, older people, victims of crime, Learning disabilities or Mental Health?


Do you: want to volunteer for a particular cause, e.g. a charity, an environ mental organisation, or supporting services in the community, hospitals or schools?

The Recruitment Process

The recruitment process is normally informal and may include some or all of the following

• Application form
• References
• Trial period
• Informal discussions
• Interviews
• Criminal record checks


 

The amount of red tape involved in volunteer recruitment can come as a surprise to potential volunteers. Do not be put off by this, it's important to consider the following:

 

• Application forms can seem very formal, but their primary purpose is to allow volunteers to give an idea of who they are, rather than being a selection or screening tool.


• Many organisations use role descriptions and person specifications to outline what is involved. Naturally they will want to work with those volunteers who offer the skills and experience most suited to a particular role.

 

• Most organisations will ask for references. Bear in mind that references do not have to come from an employer.


• Volunteers who will be working with children or vulnerable adults may be asked to undertake a criminal records check (known as Disclosure). This is a legal requirement to protect both volunteers and the client group they are working with.


Volunteer-involving organisations need to plan ahead and invest in your training, supervision and support.

 

Some opportunities require a specific level of a commitment, others may be more flexible.

 

As a general rule, the more training and supervision you receive from an organisation, the greater the commitment they'll ask from you.


Some opportunities may not be available immediately as volunteers need to undergo training or await criminal records checks.