Did you know we have lots of volunteer roles here at Markfield? Volunteers are essential for our work. They are very important to us and very much appreciated.
Shabia has been volunteering at Markfield for about 4 years now. She first came to Markfield as a parent looking for support after her child’s diagnosis. She would attend the coffee mornings, now known as parent support groups, and parent training courses which according to her ‘have been an eye opener’.
Shabia started volunteering because she was looking for a way to get back into employment after spending years at home looking after her child. She also wanted to do something worthwhile like helping a great charity. ‘Markfield is a great place to get support and signposting. It’s a one stop place to learn about lots of things and to get all the help you need. You don’t need to go to lots of different places. ‘
Talking about her volunteering Shabia says, ‘I’ve made friends, learned skills and I’ve been offered work. The time credits are really good too. ‘
Markfield rewards the volunteers with Time Credits – a scheme run by a charity called Tempo. ‘They are a way of recognising the amazing things people do in their communities’. Time Credits can be spent on hundreds of activities across their network. www.timecredits.com/spend
Nowadays Shabia works at Markfield’s crèche and Under Fives sessions and she also helps at the Info Hub on Fridays when the crèche is not too busy.
‘Markfield is a great starting point – the staff understand your needs and the hours are flexible, it builds your confidence, it helps you determine what works for you, as in how many hours you can do a week and how to fit work into your life, while being around all these knowledgeable people who can help you out. “
If you would like to volunteer at Markfield or if you would like more information, please contact us.
Telephone 0208 800 4134