Celebrating volunteers

By Polly Griffith, Chair

Starting with the American Peace Corps in 1967, I have been a volunteer most of my life. You could even say I’m a professional volunteer! I have been associated with groups working in health, education and community gardens. Some of these were entirely volunteer-organised and led while others were attached to school and hospitals.

What I value most is the friendships I have made, many of them still meaningful today.

Since its beginning 20 years ago, York Women’s Counselling Service (YWCS) has been a predominantly volunteer-run organisation, with volunteers involved across counselling, administrating, fundraising, financial management, website and IT support and trustee-ing.

This has allowed YWCS to build a strong ethos of shared experience and community, giving it the strength and flexibility to continue for such a long time.

We value everyone’s dedication and time, especially the counsellors. The service they offer so selflessly is, of course, the reason we exist. It allows us to provide low-cost, high quality, long lasting help to women who otherwise would not be able to access it.

Sadly, there is no shortage of need, especially in these strange pandemic times when the counsellors’ work is more valuable than ever.

Volunteers’ Week is all about recognising and thanking volunteers. So, as Chair of the Board of Trustees, I say a huge, genuine thank you to everyone who contributes their time, passion, energy and expertise to York Women’s Counselling Service. You all make the organisation what it is - and I am proud to be part of it.

However, I’d like to think that our appreciation goes above and beyond saying thank you during Volunteers’ Week.

In recognition of the wonderful contribution of our counsellors, we aim to give as much back as we are able - whether it’s a contribution towards supervision costs, a mini library of counselling and therapy resources, regular team meetings, monthly check-in sessions and an open door policy to our wonderful and supportive Counselling Manager. All of these are currently available.

This year we are introducing a Continuing Professional Development programme featuring a range of high quality training and development courses which will be free of charge to our team.

We know from a recent independent review that our therapists feel valued, supported and privileged to be part of such a special team.

As Trustees we too feel this way and as Chair of the Board I couldn’t be more proud to know this.

Our volunteers are at the heart of all we do and we thank every one of them, this week and every week.