Volunteer
Volunteering is incredibly rewarding and can make a huge difference to the lives of those you’re supporting.
Be there in someone's time of need
Volunteering is incredibly rewarding and can make a huge difference to the lives of those you’re supporting.
Our volunteering roles
We offer a variety of volunteering opportunities for people who are passionate about mental health and the work we do. Our volunteering roles provide both direct and indirect support to people living in our local communities. Whether you want to use existing skills or develop new skills, let’s have a chat to see how you could support people when they are struggling.
What’s it like to volunteer as a helpline call handler?
Our volunteer call handlers commit to two evening shifts a month. They receive training before they take their first call, always work in pairs and have a supervisor on hand to help and support as needed. Group support sessions and regular training mean that our volunteers feel part of a team and quickly become confident in their role.
I love volunteering with Lifecraft because it gives me the opportunity to empathise with others and to journey with them through their good times as well as the difficult ones.
Enid
Get in touch
If you’d like to learn more about our volunteering opportunities, we’d love to hear from you! Reach out to us, and we can provide detailed information about the various roles available and help you find the perfect fit for your skills and interests.
- Lifecraft
- 01223 566957
- Monday: 10am – 4.30pm
Tuesday: 10am – 4.30pm
Wednesday: 10am – 4.30pm
Thursday: 10am – 4.30pm
Friday: Office closed
Saturday: Office closed
Sunday: Office closed
Lifecraft
The Bath House
Gwydir Street
Cambridge
CB1 2LW
Volunteering FAQs
How would you decide if I’m suitable to be a volunteer?
We look for different things depending on the role you are interested in. Roles working directly with the people we support usually require good listening skills, lots of empathy, basic IT skills and reliability, for example. All of our volunteers are expected to demonstrate our Lifecraft values.
What is the time commitment to volunteer as a helpline call handler?
We ask you to commit to at least two shifts every month and to volunteer for at least 12-months. A shift is 6.40pm to 11.00pm, any day of the week and we are flexible about how you spread out your shifts as we know you’ll have other commitments too. We ask for this commitment so we can maintain a reliable and high quality service and to reflect the level of investment we put into our new volunteers.
In addition, we run volunteer support sessions approximately every eight-weeks and provide additional ongoing training.
What is the time commitment to volunteer as a counsellor?
You will need to be prepared to offer three counselling sessions per week. You will also be expected to attend one hour of external supervision and one hour of group supervision per month as well as regular CPD sessions.
What is the time commitment to volunteer in the day-to-day running of Lifecraft?
This varies depending on the role. Some people give us a few hours of their time every week, while others support us once or twice a year. The amount of time you are available, as well as your skills and interests, will determine the roles that are likely to be available to you. Let’s start with a chat and see where it leads…
What does the initial helpline volunteer training include?
All helpline volunteers complete a three-day volunteer training course before starting to answer calls. The training covers listening skills, mental health awareness, legislation, statutory and voluntary roles, local support services and administration.
What does the initial counsellor training include?
All prospective volunteer counsellors attend three training/assessment days, during which time you and we can decide whether this is the right placement for you. Areas covered include mental health awareness, self-harm, suicide and working with abuse and dissociation. You will be required to attend all training sessions in order to be considered as a volunteer counsellor. A small charge is payable in advance of the training.
Can I attend the counsellor training for CPD even if I don’t want to volunteer at Lifecraft?
Yes, if we have places available. If you would like to be considered for a place on our three-day training course, please get in touch. A small charge is payable in advance of the training.
Is there an option to take helpline calls from home?
Unfortunately this isn’t possible. To keep our call handlers and callers safe, we have taken the decision to co-locate our volunteers in adjoining offices.
Where does the counselling take place?
We have counselling rooms at our main base in Cambridge and hire rooms when working in other areas of the county. As well as Cambridge, we currently have volunteer counsellors offering therapy in Ely. Most of our counselling is delivered in-person.
Where are volunteer call handlers based?
They are based in Cambridge.
Will I need a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to volunteer at Lifecraft?
Most of our volunteering roles require a DBS check, however, roles are regularly reviewed against the Government’s guidelines. If you have a criminal record, it won’t necessarily stop you from becoming a volunteer. We consider each person and role individually, so please contact us for more information.
Will you pay my expenses if I volunteer for you?
We believe that our volunteers shouldn’t be out of pocket for volunteering with us. We have a volunteer policy that sets out the amounts that can be claimed and what we consider to be reasonable in terms of expenses.