Victim Support is an independent charity which helps people cope with the effects of crime. Every year they are in contact with thousands of people, providing free and confidential support and information to help them to deal with their experience. The Victim Service and Witness Service rely on volunteers to provide support to the people who access the service.

On this page:

What does the role involve?
What will I get out of this?
What will I be expected to give back?
What skills do I need?
How do I get involved?

What does the role involve?

Victim Support relies on volunteers to deliver its essential information and support services.

There are two main volunteering roles within Victim Support:

Supporting victims

No-one expects to be the victim of crime and it can be an extremely worrying, distressing and often isolating time for everyone involved. Victim Service volunteers are able to provide support in a number of different ways, including:

• offering people time to talk through their feelings
  
• practical help with insurance and compensation claims
  
• personal safety and crime prevention advice
  
• support if the case goes to court
  
• help with criminal justice procedures
  
  Supporting witnesses
  
  Attending court as a witness can be a harrowing experience. Witness Service volunteers help people through the judicial process by providing practical and emotional support at court. As a Witness Service volunteer you will offer support to:
  
  
• witnesses who are called to court
  
• witnesses who are not called to court
  
• families and friends of witnesses
  
• prosecution and defence witnesses
  
  However, these are not the only volunteering roles within Victim Support. They can also use your help in other ways, including:
  
  
• helping with administration, either locally or in their national office in Edinburgh
  
• serving on local and national committees
  
• helping to raise funds
  
• working on short-term projects
   

  What will I get out of this?

  Volunteering with Victim Support is rewarding; you have the opportunity to provide people with practical and emotional support at a distressing and upsetting time. As a volunteer you will also receive training, ongoing support and supervision and personal and professional development.

   

  What will I be expected to give back?

  You will be expected to give at least a few hours each week. This role can often be difficult as you are supporting people through a very stressful and turbulent time in their lives. However, Victim Support does provide close support to its volunteer workers to help them deal with upsetting and stressful situations.

   

  What skills do I need?

  You do not require any specific qualifications or experience. However, you will require the following important qualities and skills:
  
  

• be a good listener
  
• be non-judgemental and open minded
  
• flexibility
  
• commitment to confidentiality
  
  Victim Support provides comprehensive training to ensure that you are comfortable with your role and all that it involves.
   

  How do I get involved?

  If you are interested in volunteering with Victim Support, then get in touch with them. They will be able to tell you more about what the role involved and help you to decide if this is the right opportunity for you.
  
  Victim Support Scotland
  15-23 Hardwell Close
  Edinburgh
  EH8 9RX
  
  tel: 0131 668 4486
  email: info@victimsupportsco.demon.co.uk
  web: www.victimsupportsco.demon.co.uk

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