Volunteers we need you!

Volunteers are an important and valued part of the Pathways Project. Volunteering for Pathways does not mean that you have to be expert at using computers.

What is involved in Volunteering for Pathways?

We need volunteers who like to work with people. This may be supporting clients with the computers or it may be helping our administrator with her work, or it could be making cups of tea and coffee.

Pathways needs people who can commit to at least two hours, one day a week.

We want people who can work in a busy environment with four terminals. The project can at times be busy and noisy

What skills do I need to work at Pathways?

We have volunteers with a wide range of skills and experience, we are not necessarily looking for 'computer experts', however some knowledge of using a computer and or the internet at a basic level is an advantage.

We need people who can relate to other people and can empathise with what they are feeling.

Many of our present volunteers are disabled and we actively encourage the inclusion of everyone. We have good wheelchair access to the office.

What would I get out of volunteering for Pathways?

Volunteering at Pathways can help you practise and develop your 'people' and Computer/Internet skills. We have a great variety of people coming to us both as users and volunteers, you would be part of a valued team of people who have a common interest in Computers and the Internet. You would also develop skills in Disability Awareness, the adaptations required for the computers and using the internet.

Past projects which volunteers have helped with are, developing an administration database, designing forms as well as helping with the training of clients and general housekeeping.

What support will I get?

There is a staff team of three who are experienced and capable of dealing with most queries. We like to work as a friendly team, encouraging people to develop themselves as much as possible.

We encourage volunteers to feed back, appointments with the senior project worker can easily be booked to talk about any concerns or ideas volunteers have.

Volunteers Comments:

"I have been volunteering at Pathways for about a year now. I find it very useful to be able to use my skills and experience with computers for the benefit of others. Previously I had been using computers in my work for several years, however after a head injury at work I am unable to do that type of job." - Pete

"I have found it tremendously valuable working as a volunteer with Pathways. It has helped me see the IT field from a completely different angle, and has taken me back to re-examine the basics of how people and computers interact. This has been very helpful in my field of website design, as I have become much more aware of issues of accessibility. I have also met some great people whose patience and determination have been a real lesson." - David

If you are interested in volunteering at Pathways please contact us either by phone on 01223 300407, or fill in your details below :