Across the whole of Interventions Alliance, there are 70 volunteers currently helping participants within the Criminal Justice System. They work with individuals who are accessing any one of our services including at CFO activity hubs, accommodation services, with perpetrator programmes and in education, training and employment support.
A former volunteer, Lucy Daniel has been speaking about her experience of the scheme and the career opportunities that her volunteering has led to.
Lucy explained: “I have had a very positive experience volunteering with Interventions Alliance. Abi Hems, the volunteer coordinator, was incredibly welcoming right from the start and has supported me the whole way through. Volunteering has given me great insight and experience in the probation service and has helped to confirm my goals to work in the service.”
She detailed exactly what the support Abi provided her has consisted of: “She has been very helpful in putting me in contact with people and in sending me job opportunities in the service that I may not have seen, which includes my current job role as an Accommodation Support Officer (ASO) with Interventions Alliance, as well as encouraging me to apply for PQIP (Trainee Probation Officer Programme) – which I started at the end of January.”
This is a perfect example of volunteering directly applying to future progression “Volunteering has helped me to develop a better understanding of the probation service and it has helped me to develop my own confidence and skills. For example, my communication, organisational and time management skills have all been developed and strengthened.”
Lucy finished by stating: “Overall, my volunteering experience has been highly beneficial for me in allowing me to start in this field and helping me to progress further and attain the jobs I want. It has given me invaluable experience and assisted in building my social network, which is highly beneficial in my chosen career. I enjoy my time as a volunteer and being able to work with and interact with so many people and appreciate the opportunities it has afforded me and the doors it has helped open for me and my future in the service.”
Volunteering can be the perfect option if you are at university and looking for practical experience of a future career, or even looking to make a career change. If you are interested in gaining valuable experience with Interventions Alliance then please visit Volunteering | Interventions Alliance for more information. You can volunteer remotely or face-to-face and you can work flexible hours within the working week.
Visit our Volunteering page where you can find out more about how volunteering for Interventions Alliance can enable you to make a real difference to the people and communities we support and where you can apply to volunteer at one of our locations across the UK.