Volunteering
At Manchester Women’s Aid, we are immensely proud of our inspiring team of volunteers. Across the organisation, our volunteers offer invaluable support to those who access our services.
Do you live in Manchester? Could you be a part of our dedicated and diverse team, making a positive impact on survivors of domestic abuse?
We provide a range of volunteering opportunities across multiple MWA services. Volunteers can work on a 1:1 basis with survivors or be a part of group activities.
There are regular weekly opportunities, and there are also more ad-hoc ways in which you can get involved.
Our volunteer opportunities take place Monday-Friday, 9am-4:00pm.
Volunteer roles
Phone Buddy
This role provides help and support for women who have been through our services but would like a follow-up from our caring and dedicated volunteers.
The phone buddy ensures that women receive practical support and a friendly ear, and that they connect back to their environment. You will need empathy and good listening skills.
Drop-In Volunteer
Do you enjoy having interesting conversations? Are you practical and could you help set up the venue and wash dishes? Volunteers at our drop-in provide friendly support to our service users.
Some of our volunteers kindly cook a hot vegetarian lunch, which can be enjoyed by service users and volunteers alike.
Children and Young People Volunteer
Would you like to gain experience working with children and young people? Could you support children making crafts and many other activities?
If so, you could be a brilliant addition and support to our staff and children.
There also might be an opportunity for you to support our summer trips.
Volunteer Counsellor
Are you a counsellor in training or a fully qualified counsellor?
Volunteer Counsellors provide essential wellbeing support to Manchester Women’s Aid clients. We recruit for Volunteer Counsellors three times per year, keeping a waiting list of those interested.
Maria - Volunteer
Being a part of the team at the Pankhurst centre has been absolutely wonderful, I’ve gained so much in terms of confidence and skills. The staff members are so warm, supportive, creative and passionate. My fellow volunteers are also very warm, supportive and creative and they get really involved. They are just as passionate and knowledgeable about the national history of the suffragette movement, international stories or reports about the movement (and wider or general history). I volunteer during Wednesday afternoon Drop ins, making service users feel welcome and comfortable is an important part of the experience for me. Service users have the opportunity to speak to professionals about legal issues, financial and housing support and much more. There is also an activity session that is organised beforehand. Volunteers work with staff members to make sure that Drop-ins are a time of fun, support and care. When I see everyone chatting, smiling and laughing during the activity sessions and lunch-time it makes me very happy.
I truly appreciate the people and the place, and if I could sum it up in one word I would say: Community.
Styliana - Volunteer Counsellor
Volunteering at Manchester Women's Aid for the last two years has been a truly rewarding experience. It all started with my counselling placement, where I completed 100 client hours and became a qualified therapeutic counsellor. Throughout this experience, I honed my counselling skills and gained valuable insights about others and myself. Supporting and empowering women during their times of need has been a humbling and fulfilling experience. Even after becoming a qualified counsellor, I chose to continue volunteering at Manchester Women's Aid. I am grateful for having the opportunity to continue building my client hours, gaining more experience, and growing in confidence in my practice.
From the moment I joined Manchester Women's Aid, I have always felt embraced and valued.
FAQs
Volunteer with us to help domestic abuse survivors access support and to raise awareness of domestic abuse in society.
We support people who live locally in the Manchester City Council area to find meaningful volunteering opportunities. We support all members of our community to volunteer and are committed to providing equal opportunities and building a diverse volunteer team. We have some roles that require specific experience in our counselling and children’s services.
We provide travel expenses to our volunteers, for public transport, mileage and parking.
You will join a friendly, supportive team, can share your skills, and learn new ones. We organise regular events for the team to socialise and to say thank you as we couldn’t offer as much support without our generous volunteers!
If you’re looking for work, we’re here to support you build your confidence and gain experience. Giving to others can also help you connect with your community and support your wellbeing: 5 Ways to Wellbeing | Mind - Mind
We organise regular training for our volunteers in domestic abuse awareness, professional boundaries and equality diversity and inclusion.
This depends on the role, and we’ll support you to get a DBS check if needed.
You receive an organisational induction, role specific training, guidance from your supervisor and wellbeing support from our volunteering team.
We work with corporate volunteers to understand their needs and find opportunities for them to contribute to our organisation, whether it’s sharing their skills or volunteering regularly at our drop-in.
We welcome partnerships with companies who can support our fundraising initiatives like our 50 years of Manchester Women’s Aid campaign to raise funds for children in our refuges: 50 Years of Manchester Women's Aid - JustGiving
Each role has its own recruitment process, which is explained during registration. Once you complete these steps you can quickly join the team.
