Scores of volunteers including many from Leeds drug and alcohol service Forward Leeds, will attend a special event on June 2nd to celebrate volunteer week. (June 1st to 7th).
DISC, a charity providing specialist services across the North of England, will bring together members of its volunteer workforce at the Recovery Academy, off Burley Road in Leeds to say thank you and to celebrate their work.
Ann Hall, Volunteer Manager for DISC said: “This will be a great event opened by a Director within DISC, an award ceremony with certificates kindly provided by Newton Press, and food which has been donated by Morrisons on Kirkstall Road, Leeds.
“Those attending the event will hear from people in addiction who have been inspired by volunteers to turn their lives around. They will also hear from staff who were previously DISC volunteers who believe that without the opportunity of volunteering with us, gaining valuable skills and experiences, that they wouldn’t have landed their dream job at DISC.”
She said: “Volunteers are an integral part of our organisation and we want to show them our appreciation, say thank you and celebrate all the benefits of volunteering.
“During 2016/17 our volunteers contributed a total of 13,284 hours of their own time, supporting DISC achieve its mission and vision, on average we had 74 active volunteers in post at any one time.”
Volunteers will be travelling to Leeds from other areas in the UK including Durham and Southport.
Ann Lofthouse, a volunteer turned staff member said: “I’ve gained a lot of invaluable skills and experience volunteering, and my confidence through training with DISC has developed massively.”
Volunteers undertake a variety of roles across DISC’s services, including facilitation roles, doing outreach, supporting the administration teams, helping with the events management, and direct work befriending, as well as meeting and greeting the clients.
DISC offers services covering drugs and alcohol, housing related support, housing, employment, training and education, health and well-being, children, young people and families, women, criminal justice and community and offender rehabilitation.
The event will take place from 10am to 12pm on 2 June at the Leeds Recovery Academy, 43 Westfield Road, Leeds, LS3 1NQ.