An Aspire volunteer stands smiling with two trophies

Aspire Volunteering

Our award-winning Aspire volunteers are at the heart of everything we do, ensuring that our services are peer-led and co-produced. This means women’s needs and aspirations are truly reflected in the support and wellbeing services Aspire provides, as well as providing valuable involvement and development opportunities for women.

Supporting Sisters

We give our trained support and wellbeing volunteers the title of ‘Supporting Sisters.’ Once women have completed the initial volunteer training, they have the opportunity to be part of a wide variety of support and wellbeing roles, as well as plenty of opportunities to further develop their support skills and specialise themselves in particular areas of interest. We also encourage our volunteers to be part of focus groups for the shaping and evaluation of our support services, so we truly mean it when we say volunteers are at the heart of Aspire.

Email our support and wellbeing team to find out more about the Aspire volunteering experience, training and upcoming opportunities: sisters@aspire-northeast.co.uk

Key Volunteer Roles

Listeners and Befrienders deliver one-to-one confidential listening services and help tackle loneliness and isolation.

Group Leads and Group Support facilitate a variety of support and social groups in centre and online.

Stay Safe Champions offer support to those affected by/at risk of suicidal thoughts or self-harm.

Domestic Violence and Abuse Champions support abuse victims and survivors through their experiences and trauma.

Mental Health Champions offer support to those affected by/at risk of mental distress and living with mental health issues.

Mentors offer peer support to women for personal development and progression.

Click to view our short film about the Aspire volunteer experience (recorded 2019)

Other roles available for Aspire volunteers include Aspire Ambassadors representing and promoting Aspire at events, and Financial Support Service Volunteers to support women using the Aspire Credit Union, as well as offering advice and signposting around scams, the dangers of loan sharks and gambling awareness.

Additional opportunities for our volunteers can be found within our fundraising and social event planning group, as Student Representatives within our learning and courses, and occasional administration and reception roles.

Smiling Aspire staff and volunteers get together in a Zoom meeting
A smiling volunteer sits behind the Aspire reception desk
A proud Aspire volunteer with her award medal and certificate
A montage of images of various Aspire women outside on grass celebrating 2021 Volunteers' Week with their certificates

We operate a rolling volunteer recruitment and training programme.

Follow us on social media or see our news page for updates on when we are next recruiting Aspire volunteers. There you will also find updates and stories about our award-winning volunteers.

Aspire work hard to reduce barriers that could prevent women accessing our volunteer programme, including paying expenses, for more information please contact our support and wellbeing team:

sisters@aspire-northeast.co.uk

  • What Can Volunteering Do for You?

    Many women enjoy the opportunity to use their life experiences to help others. Volunteering is also recognised as having a positive impact on confidence, self-esteem, mental health, physical health and social networks.

    Aspire empowers volunteers to develop their skills and resilience in a nurturing and enabling environment as part of a supportive and friendly team.

    Our volunteers have access to a comprehensive, tailored training programme to match their specific areas of interest while also equipping women with a range of core skills including emotional resilience, communication, safeguarding and mental health awareness.

  • How Do Volunteers Shape Aspire?

    When Aspire say we are ‘peer-led’ we mean we work closely with women who understand and empathise with the lives of those using our services. Volunteer involvement in the development and delivery of our services is key to tackling barriers for women accessing them.

    Including volunteers in our service delivery team greatly expands the range of skills and experiences we have access to as well as the diversity of our provision.

    Aspire volunteers facilitate the majority of our support services including our social and support groups, placing them the ideal position to help us develop, evaluate and improve them in what is called a model of ‘co-production.’

“I love volunteering at Aspire, it helps me as well as the women I support. We have all had ups and downs in our lives and just knowing that you are not alone helps so much. Aspire has given me so much I want to give back.”

— Supporting Sister, 2021

“It (Supporting Sisters training) was the most intense, complex and perfect bundle of education I have ever experienced. I thoroughly enjoyed all 20 weeks and feel I am continually supported now I am finished.”

— Supporting Sister, 2021