Working with volunteers

At Rainbow Services we value the time, interest, skills and commitment that our volunteer team bring to the organisation. Anybody can volunteer.

Why do people volunteer with Rainbow Services?

Gain skills - may help with seeking paid experience
Meet people - make friends
Learn things - work towards various qualifications
Contribute to the community - do your bit
Build routine - let volunteering be 'part of your week'
Feel good about yourself - know you're making a difference

Volunteer success story...

Volunteer A contacted Rainbow Services in the Autumn of 2006 when she was undertaking a work preparation course at the local college. She was finding the course enjoyable and had decided that putting some of the skills into practical use when the course ended would be helpful in getting back into the swing of a work based environment. Volunteer A started volunteering one full day per week within the main office providing reception cover and carrying out various administration and office tasks in January 2007. She was always smartly dressed, proud of her volunteer role and enthusiastic about carrying out all tasks thoroughly and carefully. Volunteer A decided to start looking for work towards the end of Summer 2007 and spent many hours researching vacancies and completing application forms. Due to being out of paid employment for nearly 4 years, this was a difficult decision and step forward to take, but Volunteer A was determined and didn’t let rejection letters get her down. After 9 months of job seeking, whilst maintaining her commitment to Rainbow Services as a volunteer, the search was over. Due to increased confidence, work based skills and a belief in herself, Volunteer A was offered a job for a local Health Care Provider and came off all her benefits – a fantastic achievement! Two months on and Volunteer A popped into office to say hello to her old Rainbow teammates and said, “I really think that volunteering helped me to feel confident and able to start working again – it’s been a difficult couple of months starting work in a new place with new people but I’m enjoying it and my family are really proud of my achievement.”

Quotes from other Rainbow Volunteers:

“Volunteering at the Rainbow workshop keeps my mind active. It also gets me out of the house and keeps me fit and healthy!”

“Volunteering gave me the confidence to start looking for work.”

“I decided to volunteer because I had some spare time and I wanted to put it to good use.”

"I have gained a lot of self confidence and learnt a lot, but most importantly I always leave feeling that the work I do is valued.”

Our volunteer statement

Within Rainbow Services we have prioritised services with Volunteers taking the major lead in front line delivery. This is to ensure that our services are truly user led and reflect local need and community priorities.

Across the organisation, Rainbow Services is committed to working with volunteers and values the central role that they have in the provision and delivery of quality services to our community. rainbow Services is also committed to involving

volunteers in every aspect of operational matters and recognises that volunteers positively enhance our services by contributing their ideas and sharing their experience.

We are committed to training our volunteers to enhance their skills and will take every opportunity to share internal and external training opportunities.

Through regular support, supervision and consultation we will also agree any further development needs and work with individuals to enable them to achieve their full potential as well as to facilitate personal and professional development.

Volunteers are based at all Rainbow Services projects, please see our Volunteer Opportunities page for more information of how to get involved...

(updated 5th August 2010)