Volunteering
Making a Difference
A spell in prison can do more than take away your liberty - it can make it hard to get a job afterwards and settle into a normal life. Now a new project, Activate, is to act as a stepping-stone to help get ex-offenders into employment.
The three-year lottery-funded project is being run by the Wandsworth Voluntary Sector Development Agency (WVSDA). As well as ex-offenders, it will also help homeless people, people with mental health difficulties and those with substance abuse problems. The aim is to stop re-offending, and to prevent vulnerable people falling into a life of crime, by encouraging and supporting them to volunteer. The hope is that they will find the experience meaningful, will feel more confident and valued and will develop personally and professionally. They will also get references for their CV.
They will receive one-to-one support to find the right volunteering role for them, whether it is a one off activity or a long-term placement. They will also be referred on to other groups that can provide befrienders, mentors, job coaches, CV writing workshops and adult education training. The project is being managed by criminologist Kirstie Sheehy, who most recently ran the successful Active Futures Project, engaging homeless people in volunteering opportunities in Wandsworth.
Kirstie is relishing the chance of taking on Activate. "WVSDA has a great reputation for delivering challenging and innovative projects. We are again delivering a cutting edge, progressive project which will be challenging but very rewarding." Contact Kirstie on (020) 8875 2847 or email activefutures@wvsda.org.uk
Case Study
Wayne was born into a large family living on a housing estate in Peckham in the late 1960s. He was the third of four children born to three different fathers who rarely took part in family life.
Wayne was bullied at school from an early age and found his secondary school a daunting place. He started smoking cannabis and by the age of 14 was a habitual heroin user. He dropped out of school, funded his habit through crime and was in and out of the criminal justice system until he was 36.
After trying many treatment programmes Wayne was finally successful at the Cranstoun Project and has now been off drugs for four years. His motivation was his new son.
Volunteering was a good way for Wayne to feel part of the community again. He could not have coped with paid work and the money would have tempted him to buy drugs.
Wayne has been just achieved his NVQ level 1 in Hospitality and Catering and is starting his level 2 course in September. He is hoping to find employment in the catering industry while continuing his chef training.
* The Volunteer Centre, Wandsworth is trying to find out how many hours are devoted to volunteering in the borough. If you volunteer, please call Nicola Grant on (020) 8871 6449 or email ngrant@wandsworth.gov.uk