There’s a lot of moving parts that make up the workings of The Bridge, and volunteers help almost all of them. We currently have about 70 active volunteers, who generously donate their time for free so that we can continue to offer people experiencing homelessness our services without having to charge. We currently have volunteers helping by working in the kitchen to prepare breakfast and lunch, the storeroom to help unpack and organise donations, and the reception desk to sign every guest in and book times to use the showers, computers, and washing machine. We also have volunteers helping out upstairs in our creative room, to assist with art and music classes, and to teach English lessons (ESOL).
‘We simply couldn’t do what we do as a charity without our amazing Volunteers! Our volunteers support us in all aspects of the day to day running of The Bridge, from welcoming guests on reception, to serving them a hot drink or meal from our kitchen! Our volunteers all have their own personal reason for volunteering but the one thing that always shines through is their desire to help people. We have some volunteers who join us as a stepping stone back into paid work where others may be at the end of their career and now have some spare time since retiring. Volunteering is also a great opportunity to meet new people, build friendships and grow in confidence. Thank you to all our Volunteers, we appreciate everything you do!’' - Emma Firth, Volunteer Coordinator.
Another way to volunteer is through The Lighthouse Project. By joining The Lighthouse Project as a Mentor Volunteer you’ll build a professional relationship with mentees over a minimum of 6 months, and help vulnerable people in a one-on-one environment. You’ll go through a process of Recruit, Match, Mentor, and then you’re ready! Our mentors all have different backgrounds, with different beliefs and skills. No former experience of volunteering or mentoring is required, as training will be provided. Mentors and mentees meet face to face, online, or over the phone depending on the mentees needs. Meetings provide the time for mentors to encourage, support, and provide a new perspective to their mentees, and most importantly, to listen.
‘It’s very rewarding, I love chatting to the guests, I think the staff are doing a great job, and I think we provide a wonderful service.’ - A volunteer
The benefits of volunteering at The Bridge are varied and many. When signing up you’ll be provided with training, and if you volunteer with the Lighthouse Project this training will continue monthly to cover a wide range of relative topics when working in this sector. You’ll gain experience working with people, and a deeper understanding of the charity sector. The experience you receive can be added to your CV, and you’ll be able to use The Bridge and our Volunteer Coordinator as a reference when applying to jobs. And finally, volunteering here provides a wonderful opportunity to help people and give back to the community.
If you’re interested in volunteering, you can find out more about the positions available here: https://www.bridgeleicester.org/volunteer
Or contact our Volunteer Coordinator with any questions you may have: volunteering@bridgeleicester.org
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