Scottish victims’ charity calls for vital volunteers to meet increasing demand

Victim Support Scotland is calling on more people throughout Scotland to step forward and volunteer to meet the increased demand for services for victims, witnesses and families.

The courts in Scotland are due to have a phased reopening between now and September, following the Coronavirus pandemic. Volunteers will be playing an active role in supporting people affected by crime through dedicated and often long-term support.

The charity launched its volunteer recruitment campaign last month during Volunteers’ Week and continues to look for people for a variety of roles in the Scottish courts, and in local communities.

Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Justice, said:

“The commitment of Victim Support Scotland volunteers has been vital to ensure people affected by crime have had the support, reassurance and practical help they require when needed throughout the pandemic.

“Volunteers’ informed and compassionate support, underpinned by bespoke training, is invaluable and makes a huge difference, particularly to our most vulnerable court users and their families.

“As we increase court capacity throughout Scotland, it is an ideal time to consider volunteering in a victim support role to ensure that individuals and families are supported as their cases come forward.”

New volunteers will learn about the courts and the wider criminal justice system. As part of Scotland’s dynamic third sector, volunteers will work with colleagues and partner organisations who are passionate about social justice.

Kate Wallace, Chief Executive of Victim Support Scotland, said:

“Volunteering at Victim Support Scotland is a unique opportunity. We depend on our volunteers to support people affected by crime when they most need it, empowering them to move forward with their lives.

“They do all this while learning new support skills, gaining experience of working within the criminal justice sector, and accessing a wide range of training opportunities.

“We offer a breadth of volunteering roles. If you are looking for a challenging yet rewarding experience with valuable training and development opportunities, I would urge you to consider joining us as a volunteer.”

Christie, who is law graduate and existing Victim Support Scotland volunteer, comments:

“Through my role at Victim Support Scotland, I’ve learnt to be more empathetic and how to deal with unpredictability, managing highly charged emotional scenarios and helping to ground people who are anxious and distressed by crime. I’m also more confident now. All these skills are transferrable to other areas of life and work and are invaluable.”

To register your interest as a Victim Support Scotland volunteer, visit: Support volunteers | Victim Support Scotland