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.” |
