Volunteering

What is Volunteering?

Volunteering can mean different things to different people. Indeed many volunteers themselves often do not consider the activities they undertake to constitute volunteering (many refer to `just helping out' and so on).

Definition

"Volunteering is...the commitment of time and energy for the benefit of society, the volunteer and the community, and can take many forms. It is freely undertaken and not for financial gain. It involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the environment or individuals or groups other than (or in addition to) close relatives, and does not replace the time spent by paid workers." (Sheffield Volunteering Strategy, December 2009)

Janet Wheatley, Chief Executive of Voluntary Action Rotherham – ‘once you’ve started volunteering, it hooks you in...’

SAFE@LAST is a child protection charity that aims to keep children and young people safe.  We are grateful that many committed and dedicated volunteers help us carry out our functions both working directly with vulnerable young runaways and by assisting with supporting aspects such as fundraising.

What Volunteers Do:

Volunteers are an important part at all levels in SAFE@LAST, from acting in the role of charity trustee to volunteering on the ‘front line’ answering calls to children at risk of significant harm.  These are just some of the fantastic things that volunteers do to help us keep children safe.

Answer helpline calls ~ Reply to text messages ~ Web chat to children ~ Bake ~ Filing ~ Typing ~ Photocopying ~ Facilitate training ~ Help with our accounts ~ Give us advice ~ Sell raffle tickets ~ Staff a publicity stall ~ Update our databases ~ Organise events ~ Trustees ~ Give presentations ~ Chair meetings ~ Help with mailouts ~ Make Christmas decorations ~ Take photos ~ Put up posters ~ Decorate rooms ~ DIY ~ On call for refuge ~ Devise the helpline rota ~ Plan events

Volunteers are:

Young people ~ Men ~ Women ~ LGBT ~ Retired ~ Students ~ Middle aged ~ Unemployed ~ Employed ~ Solicitors ~ From all cultural backgrounds ~ Nurses ~ Doctors ~ People with disabilities ~ Councillors ~ Youth Workers ~ Business people ~ Bankers ~ Teachers ~ Shop Assistants ~ Bus drivers ~ Managers

...AND COULD BE YOU!

If you're interested in finding out more about volunteering at SAFE@LAST click here

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that

ever has."

Margaret Mead

US anthropologist & popularizer

of anthropology (1901 - 1978)