A charity is appealing for volunteers to help continue its work supporting victims and witnesses of crime in Scotland.
Victim Support Scotland provides a range of bespoke, personal support to individuals and families dealing with the impact of crime.
This may be by providing advice during court visits to help demystify the process, pointing people towards specialist or professional support services or just being there to listen.
VSS has launched a recruitment drive to find 200 new volunteers who can commit to helping for a few hours a week.
Chief executive Kate Wallace said: “Volunteers are the backbone of our organisation and we need more of them across Scotland to ensure we can continue to deliver vital services to the people who need it most.
“Our dedicated teams provide a broad range of support to help people affected by crime take control and move forward with their lives.
“Our work helps ease concerns and anxieties, and offers comfort and hope to people in our own communities. Without volunteers, these services wouldn’t be possible.”
VSS asks that all volunteers provide a minimum amount of time over the course of a year and has recently developed a new more flexible way of volunteering.
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Ms Wallace said: “Our new four-hours per week initiative opens up even more options for full-time workers, students and stay-at-home parents to make volunteering with VSS work around their lives.
“We hope this will allow more people to spend a small amount of time helping others and making a real difference in people’s lives.”
Once enrolled, VSS volunteers receive comprehensive hands-on training and day-to-day support to ensure they have the skills and resources to provide the support needed.
Jane Lynn, a former lawyer who volunteers in Edinburgh, said her role with VSS allowed her to maintain her connection to law when she was unable to return to work after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
She said: “VSS was the perfect way I could maintain my link to law but on a completely different footing.
“I really missed being in the workplace but with VSS I was able to build my social network and connect with people in a different environment while challenging myself and building my confidence.
“It’s wonderful that VSS support not only goes outwards to service users but inwards to employees and volunteers too.
“I’m really enjoying being able to give back to the community – there’s really no downside to giving up a few hours of your week. It’s made a big difference to me and the way I feel about myself and the contribution I feel I’m making to society.”
VSS has dedicated facilities such as a remote court suite which offers victims and witnesses the opportunity to participate in trials away from the courtroom.
Anyone wishing to find out more can do so at https://victimsupport.scot/volunteertoday/
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