Volunteer with RASAC P&K

What is Volunteering?

Volunteering is the commitment of time and energy for the benefit of society whilst gaining experience and skills. It is undertaken freely and by choice, without concern for financial gain.

To some people volunteering is seen as an act of kindness, to others it is a means of achieving a personal goal or contributing to a cause. For some volunteering is a valuable way of gaining new skills and improving job prospects.

Our volunteers are crucial to our organisation. We would not be able to support the number of women we do without the dedicated support from our team of volunteers. We recognise the significant contribution that volunteer provide RASAC and are part of the Volunteer Friendly Award Scheme.

At RASAC P&K volunteers can get involved in …

• Providing emotional support through the Helpline or Therapeutic Support
• Volunteering in Groups (creative and therapeutic groups)
• Befriending survivors who are socially isolated
• Supporting the delivery of workshops in the community and with young people in schools
• Youth Ambassadors (14-18 year olds. For male and females)
• Equality Champions (18-24 years old. For male and females)
• Administration and IT
• Governing the organisation as a member of the Board of Directors
• Publicity
• Fundraising

I volunteer because I want to live in a world where no child experiences abuse.

What we look for in potential volunteers …

• A willingness to learn
• Good communication skills
• The ability to listen to others
• Reliability and ability to commitment

We are a women’s organisation and do not discriminate against any woman on any grounds. We actively encourage women from various backgrounds to join our Volunteering team. We require female applicants for most of our volunteering opportunities and are exempt under Schedule 9, Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010.

What you can expect from us …

• We provide comprehensive training for all our volunteer which varies according to the volunteering role prior to any volunteering.
• We have a comprehensive resource library where volunteers can explore a range of subjects and tools.
• We provide support and supervision for all volunteer to meet their needs
• We provide/support the access of addition continuous training while on placement at RASAC

My volunteering placement at RASAC has really helped me developed my skills and knowledge around sexual violence and supporting others in time of crisis.

Current volunteering opportunities include …

• Therapeutic Support Volunteer
• Group Support Volunteer
• Befriending Volunteer
• Youth Prevention Volunteer
• Youth Ambassadors (14-18 year olds. For male and females)
• Equality Champions (18-24 years old. For male and females)
• Board of Directors

If you would like to know more about any of our volunteering opportunities or request our application and information pack please contact our Training worker, Joanne on 01738 626290 or email admin@rasacpk.org.uk You can find out more about our Youth Ambassadors and our Equality Champion Volunteers here.

I love volunteering at RASAC because I feel supported by the great team I work with, I get to meet lots of different people and I’ve made some friends along the way!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I become a volunteer with RASAC (P&K)?

Give us a call or email and we will send you out the application pack. If your application is suitable you will be invited to come for an interview. If the interview is successful you will be offered a place on our volunteer training programme. We always offer feedback to those applicants who are unsuccessful. Please note that we usually run a volunteer training programme twice a year. If you would like to know when our next training is due to take place please contact us.

I have no formal qualifications, will this matter?

Not at all. The most important thing to us is that you are committed, reliable, and able to listen and empathise with others. The most important qualification for all Rape Crisis Workers in Scotland is that they have undergone the Rape Crisis Training Programme.

What is the time commitment that I need to offer you?

This depends on what role you wish to undertake. If you are interested in becoming a support volunteer we need you to be able to offer us a commitment of about 2-4 hours per week. In addition to this there is a bi-monthly volunteer meeting and supervision sessions, both of which are compulsory and take place in the evenings. Other roles can be anything from 2 hours per week, we have even had volunteers who have volunteered over 16 hours per week! It is up to you to decide how many hours you are willing to kindly donate.

What training is offered to volunteers?

All our volunteers are requited to undertake RASAC Rape Crisis Training regardless of which role they are in. However some roles may require more training than others. Our RASAC Training consists of 10 training sessions which usually take place during the day, sometimes at the weekend. Topics covered include Confidentiality, Feminism and Gender based Violence, Rape, Childhood Sexual Abuse, Pornography and Prostitution, Self-Harm, Suicide, Dealing with Disclosure, Ritual Abuse, Support Skills and Honour Based Violence. All volunteers must at least undertake the 4 mandatory training sessions.

What about my expenses?

Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed for all volunteers residing in Perth & Kinross. University Placement Student will only receive travel expenses incurred in Perth and Kinross for outreach support and activities.

Can anyone volunteer with RASAC (P&K)?

We welcome volunteer applications from anyone who identifies as a woman / young woman age 14 and over (males between 14-24 can volunteer in our Youth Ambassadors and Equality Champions). We actively encourage women from all backgrounds to join our team. No previous training or experience is required but we are keen to recruit those who have a passion for ending violence against women and an understanding of women’s issues.