Volunteering FAQ’s
Volunteering can be extremely rewarding, so please find on this page some frequently asked questions (FAQs). If there is a question that you have but that isn’t present here, please don’t hesitate to contact us at staff@sarac.org.uk and we will happily answer any enquiries.
An application form, role description and contact details have been provided, along with a full summary of how you can become a volunteer at SARAC, in the ‘Vacancies’ section of the website.
We welcome volunteers from all walks of life. However, we are unable to offer volunteer opportunities to those under 21 years old due to the subject matter and emotional nature of the supporting role. While we greatly value the empathy and knowledge of somebody that has personal experience of the issues SARAC deals with, for all potential volunteers who have experienced trauma or sexual/domestic abuse themselves, we ask that they apply after a reasonable amount of time has elapsed.
We do offer student counselling placements at SARAC, although these places are limited. For more information on upcoming vacancies please see the vacancies section of the website.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer with SARAC, then the minimum commitment we require you to offer is 2 hours per week. In addition to this, we ask that you commit to regular volunteer meetings and reviews; these are compulsory as they promote well-being and ensure that volunteers are working ethically with clients. Apart from the above requirements, it is up to you to decide how many hours you are willing to kindly give.
Due to the nature of our work, all volunteers are required to undertake SARAC’s specialised training, which consists of approximately 30 hours over 2 weeks. This extensive schedule covers all the vital material that is needed to enable volunteers to provide the best possible service to clients. Furthermore, it provides insight into what volunteering at SARAC might be like for potential volunteers. More information on the training can be found here.
The helpline is often the first port-of-call for many of our service users and offers them a safe space to explore the impact of their trauma without engaging in the deeper therapeutic work.
It will require you to use focused listening skills to build rapport with clients, promote their wellbeing and offer stabilisation support to build on their emotional literacy.
Volunteers are welcome to claim back the expenses that they incur whilst volunteering. This can include travel expenses (within a 20-mile radius) and parking fees. Volunteers can also choose to kindly donate their expenses back to the charity.
