PDVG volunteer programme was established in 2012 and in 2015 we achieved the Kirklees Quality Award for Volunteering.
Our aim is to provide volunteers with comprehensive training and experiential learning along with the opportunity to be a part of the PDVG team supporting people affected by domestic abuse.
Volunteers are an important and valuable asset to PDVG. Volunteers help to enrich and extend the services PDVG currently offer and give the community that we serve a stake in what we do.
Volunteers can bring a different perspective to the work of PDVG with fresh ideas, knowledge and experience:
They can bring qualities, skills and expertise such as personal experiences, cultural understanding and language skills.
PDVG continues to develop the Volunteer Programme and we now have a volunteer led project called ‘Move On’. This project is situated within PDVG Live Safe Hub and within PDVG refuge, safe accommodation. The overall aim of ‘Move On’ is to provide end of service support to anyone who has completed support from any of PDVG services.
Volunteer Testimonies
I have found my time at kabwwa refuge so far exciting and interesting.
Every day is different!
I have learnt a range of skills and organised group activities.
IE: At Easter I organised an Easter egg hunt and made Easter buns in the kitchen with the women and children.
I am enjoying helping out service users in any way I can.
The staff are all lovely, even though they are all busy helping service users they all make time for me whenever I have a question or I’m unsure of how to do something. This has helped my confidence grow as I feel like a member of staff not just a volunteer.
I have spent just over 2 years volunteering for PDVG. I found it to be an extremely rewarding experience. The opportunities to learn are extensive with many training sessions and courses available. All the staff are very supportive and they are always on hand and happy to answer questions and give advice. You are encouraged to try new things however there is no pressure to do anything you feel uncomfortable with. As a stepping stone to furthering career prospects, whether within the company or externally, you will gain a wide range of knowledge to carry with you into the future. Volunteering helps to build confidence and has a support network that is second to none. I can only emphasise how positive the experience is and cannot think of any negative comments. I would strongly recommend it to anyone who may be thinking of volunteering. I am very grateful to all concerned and consider it a privilege to have been part of the team.