Volunteer
Volunteering at The Forward Trust can be life-changing. Gain work experience while helping people to move beyond addiction, offending and related issues.
Watch Leon’s story about how we got help for addiction during his time in prison – and is now leading a new life in recovery. With the help of The Forward Trust and the Nehemiah Project, Leon was able to get back on track and recover from his addiction.
Now Leon is working with The Forward Trust as one of many volunteers, supporting others to enter a life free from addiction and break the cycle of crime and time in prison.
Why volunteer at The Forward Trust?
Put simply, Forward will help you to develop important transferable skills to improve your career and work prospects, alongside helping to build your interpersonal ‘people’ skills – meeting new people, working in different settings and being matched to a work area that is right for you. We offer opportunities in our prison and community projects, as well as our Head Office teams.
Educationally, Forward is a great place to better understand the challenges of addiction, criminal justice and homelessness – and how often the ‘shame spiral’ (feelings of inadequacy that subsequently lead to harmful behaviours) can sometimes prevent individuals from getting the help they deserve.
Volunteering FAQs
What sort of volunteering roles do you have?
We have a range of roles, including:
- Reach Out: providing advice and support to people via our online chat service
- Meet and greet: supporting our clients on their first day of release from prison
- Mentoring: we have a variety of roles, from corporate mentoring to recovery mentors
- Community and prison support volunteers: working with our Drug & Alcohol Practitioners and counsellors to support service delivery, including administrative support and reception
- Communications: working with our team to grow our More Than My Past campaign
- Administration: providing administration support in our teams at head office or other projects based around the UK
Some volunteer opportunities are for specific projects or periods, while others are ongoing, and are recruited for on a rolling basis.
What are the benefits of volunteering?
Former volunteers have gone on to further education, training, and careers in the sector.
Other benefits include:
- Regular supervision and support
- Training to help enhance required skills
- Pathways to accredited learning programmes
- Travel and lunch expenses
- References
- A thorough induction to Forward and our services
What can I expect if I volunteer for Forward?
Volunteers are treated as equal members of the team and their work is highly valued.
In return, we ask you to perform your duties to the best of your abilities and show commitment to our values and goals.
Is Forward accredited for volunteering?
Yes. Forward has been accredited by Volunteering England for our commitment to supporting, enabling and celebrating volunteering in all its diversity. We also have regained our Investing in Volunteers accreditation for the 4th year running.
Can I volunteer if I have lived experience of addiction or offending?
Absolutely. We welcome applications that reflect the diversity of the communities in which we work.
What do I do if I want to volunteer but don’t see a role that fits my skills?
If you have skills, knowledge, and experience that you want to offer but don’t see a current role that fits your skill set, please contact us using the form below.
Forward implemented a proper volunteer programme that I could contribute to on a regular basis. They made a special effort to align my volunteer work to my interests and needs. I used to accompany the team to facilitate and co-facilitate groups at different hubs, and learned a lot from the experience.
Steve B, Forward volunteer Read Steve’s story