What can I expect as a volunteer?

Applying to become a volunteer with Victim Support and completing your training are just the start of your volunteering journey with us. We’re very proud of the dedicated people who generously give us their time, and we want to ensure that you have the best possible experience volunteering with us. We’re open to feedback, and we have a number of ways for you as a volunteer to express your views about our work and to get more involved.

Volunteering expectations

Ensuring that everyone who gives their time to Victim Support has a good experience is very important to us. So too is ensuring that victims, witnesses and other people we interact with receive the service they need and deserve.

We’ve outlined below what you can expect of us if you become a volunteer, along with the expectations that we would have of you as a volunteer.

We will support you as a Victim Support volunteer by:

  • providing access to excellent inductions and learning opportunities to help you develop and grow in your role
  • being clear about the standards required to carry out your role, and supporting you to achieve these
  • ensuring you have regular dialogue with your manager to discuss your volunteering
  • listening to and respecting all volunteers’ views and contributions, and ensuring your voices are heard by decision makers
  • communicating clearly and directly with all volunteers
  • providing different ways to discuss ideas and share good practice with other volunteers, employees, senior management and trustees
  • helping you to access and use online communication systems
  • ensuring the safety of everyone who volunteers with us
  • paying your expenses in a timely manner
  • ensuring that all our activities are inclusive and celebrate diversity
  • addressing any complaints and difficulties fairly and promptly
  • ensuring the confidentiality and security of personal information.

As a volunteer we will ask you to:

  • carry out your role to the best of your ability, embracing the values of Victim Support
  • uphold the policies and standards of service delivery when carrying out your role
  • work only within the boundaries and training for your role
  • keep up-to-date with information related to your volunteering role(s) through internal communications, training and meetings
  • have regular dialogue with your manager to discuss your volunteering
  • attend and participate in regular volunteer meetings with the local team
  • abide by safeguarding principles when working with vulnerable adults and children
  • behave responsibly regarding your own and others’ safety
  • act in a non-discriminatory and inclusive manner
  • keep client information confidential and secure, in line with our data protection policy and procedures
  • share ideas using the communications channels available
  • keep your personal data such as contact details up to date on our database or via your manager.

Nothing listed above is intended to create an employment relationship between volunteers and Victim Support, either now or in the future.