What is the significance of Volunteer's Week for our charity?

Without our volunteers, we wouldn't have the befriending service! They are the lifeblood of it, and we can't thank them enough.

How do volunteers contribute to our organisation's mission and goals?

With roughly 1 in 4 people suffering from a diagnosable mental health disorder, most people will know someone who has or is suffering, and our volunteers are no exception. They want to help those who are suffering and help them live happy, independent lives again.

How do we recruit and select volunteers for our charity?

The process is very simple. An application to volunteer is made. Once we process the application, we then invite people in for an induction event and complete their DBS check. After that, we get them signed up for our online training platform, and off they go.

Can you provide examples of the roles volunteers typically take on and the impact they have made?

We have two options for volunteering with us. We have our befrienders, which is our main role for the volunteers. They are matched up with a service user who is struggling to get out and go for a coffee or a walk with them to help them engage in the community again.

The other option is to help facilitate a group for the Peer Support team. This could be if you have a skill you would like to share with others, from knitting and playing an instrument to helping people take pictures with their mobile. Tell us what skill, and we can see what we can do!

How do we recognise and appreciate our volunteers during Volunteer's Week?

We always give out a Volunteer of the Year award, but we also believe we should celebrate our volunteers by having monthly coffee socials to say thank you to each and every one of them!

Why are dedicated volunteers important for our charity's success?

We have volunteers with nearly 10 years of experience with us. It shows that they feel this is worth their time and energy. When we match people up, we match them up for 12 months so they can help build that friendship and support the service users in the community. Without the volunteers, there wouldn't be a befriending service.

How do we ensure a positive experience for our volunteers and provide them with support?

We offer them a wide range of training materials. They have contact with the volunteer coordinator and have access to the coffee social. They also meet up with the volunteer coordinator for catch-ups and to collect expenses.

What plans or goals do we have for the future of our volunteer program?

Our plan is to keep on growing and showing Liverpool how amazing our volunteers are!