Lucinda manages our young people programme in Bristol, which is celebrating its first anniversary this month. She chatted to us about her role at Step Together and reflects on her proudest and most memorable moments of the past year.
Ahead of International Women’s Day tomorrow, we are excited to announce that our programme is expanding to support more young women, aged 16-25, to engage in volunteering and social action opportunities in Greater Manchester.
Step Together is proud to have contributed to People Powered Recovery, a report published today by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Complex Needs and Dual Diagnosis.
Every year, Step Together helps over 300 wounded, injured and sick Service Personnel and Veterans across the UK rebuild their lives, through one-to-one support and active engagement in the local community. In partnership with the Ministry of Defence and Help for Heroes, Step Together provides volunteering support to all Personnel Recovery Centres.
While I was handling criminal cases as a barrister, judge and in the Court of Appeal, I was aware that the critical time for offenders is the period straight after they leave the system. People with a history of convictions must find an ‘anchor’ to make that change to a life without crime. And the longer it takes them to find this anchor or purpose, the more likely it is they will return to prison.
Earlier today Karen, Volunteering Project Manager in Manchester, and her client Mooch joined the Volunteer Centre Manchester on their monthly radio show, VCM FM, on North Manchester FM. They were both interviewed about the work of Step Together and the impact volunteering has had for our clients.
People on release from prison need more personal support, someone to turn to. Without it, that person will likely be back inside. I know this, because I have seen it throughout my career in the prison service.
This week is #iwillWeek and we are celebrating our support for the #iwill campaign. We are sharing our pledge and highlighting the impact of our programme supporting disadvantaged young people to change their lives through volunteering.
Mooch is helping us with our Christmas appeal by sharing his story, so we can help others like him. Our new video shows how, with Step Together’s support, Mooch has turned his life around through community volunteering.
This week we are participating in the #SpiritofMcrStory week, a week of inspiring stories from the voluntary sector in Manchester. As part of this, our client Tom has shared his story.
Paul’s successful career in the military as a helicopter engineer was cut short when he suffered a serious brain injury as a result of a cycling accident.
Sophia is in care and has been most of her life. Before meeting Step Together she struggled to fill her time and was very quiet in new situations. Volunteering was not something Sophia had ever thought someone like her could do. She didn’t know anyone who volunteered and she was uncertain about it.
Lorna is based in Tedworth House and works on our programme supporting wounded, injured and sick (WIS) service personnel and veterans. She talks to us about her role at Step Together, as well as sharing a few interesting facts about herself!
Every month an estimated 14.2 million people in the UK formally volunteer, improving our communities, supporting others, and together making a phenomenal contribution to the country’s economy. Volunteer’s Week is a national annual campaign to celebrate the difference volunteers make and thank them for their contributions.
Congratulations to Elaine, our Volunteering Project Manager and a previous client, who has received a Community Safety Award from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue for her valuable voluntary work on their Safe Drive Stay Alive roadshow, which she has been a part of for the last 4 years.
Step Together was created in 1994. We chatted to our founder and trustee, Roger Potter, who tells us his inspiration behind setting up the organisation and how volunteering, as a catalyst for change in people’s lives, has always been at the centre of everything we do.
