Volunteering

We are incredibly proud of the work our volunteers do. They are an essential part of our team; equal partners in shaping, running and enriching the College. Many of our volunteers began their recovery journey as students and are still on that journey today, discovering their strengths, passions and confidence along the way.

If you’ve ever thought about volunteering, have a practical skill to share, or feel inspired to support others through your lived experience, we’d love to hear from you. Whether your interests lie in gardening, knitting, crafts, cooking, or you want to educate others about experiences of health and wellbeing struggles, there is a place for you here.

Who can volunteer?

We welcome anyone aged 18 and over who feels they have the understanding, skills, or lived experience to support our students. Volunteering with us is a chance to boost your own skills, give something back, and be part of a community built on compassion, co‑production, and shared learning.

How to get started

To ensure you feel confident and connected to our ethos, we ask all potential volunteers to enrol as a student first. You’ll need to book onto and attend one or two courses or workshops (ideally one face to face and one online). This helps you get a feel for how we work and what being part of the College community is like.

If you then decide you’d like to get more involved, we’ll chat with you about:

• the role you’re interested in (We offer a variety of volunteer roles. Visit our view roles page to learn more about each one.)
• your skills and strengths
• any training you may need, including the mandatory training you are required to complete to ensure you are well equipped for the role.

When you’re ready, you can apply for a volunteer application pack by completing our enquiry form; just make sure to state that you’re interested in volunteering with the Wakefield Recovery and Wellbeing College and the role/s you are interested in.

Support throughout the process

We’ll support you every step of the way. Don’t worry about forms, we can help you complete and check them if needed. As part of the process, you’ll need:

• a DBS check (If you you have something that would be recorded on your DBS application that you think might hold you back, get in touch and we’ll be happy to have an honest, open chat with you about your options. We’re much more open to supporting volunteer opportunities for those with convictions and/or cautions than you might think!)
• two references (These don’t have to be from an employer as we know not all of our volunteers have worked before/in some time. You references will need to be from professionals that you’re working with in some capacity, such as an IPS worker, a nurse, a teacher/tutor, a housing support officer, etc. They just can’t be provided by a friend or family member or be a character reference only.)
• a brief conversation with our Occupational Health Team to ensure you receive the right support for any health conditions

What we offer our volunteers

As a volunteer, you’ll receive:

• A dedicated volunteer supervisor — with a personalised placement plan to support you
• Regular contact with our team
• Peer support from fellow volunteers
• Flexible volunteering hours to suit your lifestyle
• Reimbursement of travel and pre-authorised materials used during volunteering
• Training and development opportunities each year
• An environment rooted in co‑production, where your voice and experience help shape what we do

 

Want to know more?

Call us on 01924 316946, email wakefieldrecoverycollege@swyt.nhs.uk, or visit the Trust’s dedicated volunteering webpage.