Make a difference Onside is a registered charity providing independent advocacy and mentoring to vulnerable adults facing disadvantage through mental and physical ill health, learning disability and old age, depression, dementia, autism and learning difficulties. We provide our service across Worcestershire and we are currently looking to train more volunteers from your local area. Advocacy is a way of supporting and empowering people to ensure that they have their voice heard and their wishes made known to others and we are looking for volunteers to provide this support in their local area. It can involve just supporting someone to sort paperwork out or attending hospital appointments with someone.

Mentoring volunteers are needed to provide a supportive and reliable relationship to people who would otherwise be socially isolated. Opportunities are also available for telephone befrienders and to support local groups which focus on gardening, art, walking and social activities. We also have our drop in service which provides help for people with Autism, along with one to one support for this project.

Onside’s Volunteer Co-ordinator, Claire Watkins, said “Our volunteers provide the support and friendship required by the members of our community who might otherwise be ignored. Our volunteers give their time, their passion and enthusiasm we need continued help from willing volunteers who would enjoy supporting adults in their local community.”

Volunteering with Onside is a flexible commitment; as little as 2 hours a month can be given with full training and the option to work towards an Open College Network qualification offered.

Volunteers enjoy the flexible aspect of our work along with the chance to join in at our local social events we run for volunteers including quiz nights and coffee mornings. The comment that really sums it up came from one volunteers - “I seem to make a difference every time I visit, she laughs and I do, she had cheered up as she hadn’t seen anyone else all week ”

We are currently arranging our next training course and places are limited.

If you are interested in finding out more, or keen to get started please contact Claire on 01905 27525 or e mail volunteering@onside-advocacy.org.uk.