Volunteering at ESRA can be very rewarding, and it is a great way to:
meet new people
gain new or use existing skills
get experience
make a big difference to your community
Volunteering requirements
As ESRA volunteer you must meet the criteria listed below:
not currently misusing drugs, alcohol or prescription drugs.
in recovery for at least 9 months.
be 18 years of age or over.
be open-minded about different recovery journeys
Volunteer responsibilities
As an ESRA volunteers you will need to:
attend a 3-hour induction and related training
attend the staff and volunteer forum weekly
adhere to policies and procedures at all times
act in the best interests of ESRA
ensure that you ask for help where needed
What ESRA will do for you
In return ESRA will offer you:
ongoing support including 1-1 meetings with the Recovery Hub Manager every 6-8 weeks
a choice in what projects to become involved in, subject to ESRA’s needs and capacity as well as your suitability
out of pocket expenses including travel
up to £3 for lunch which you can claim if you volunteer for more than 6 hours in one day
ongoing training opportunities to support personal development.
involvement in the development of projects and ESRA as a whole
I’ve enjoyed volunteering and doing things I’ve never done before like cooking and making pizza. Before I would have said “not for me, don’t have those skills” but the experience made me realise it’s not so hard to cook and make my own meals. Hopefully, I will take that forward. Volunteering has also helped me stay sober to an extent. I didn’t feel in danger of relapse but being round people in recovery reinforces it and gives me a positive feeling.
