Advice and Support Phone Line

We are looking for female volunteers who are interested in making a difference by offering their time, skills and expertise to support the work that we do  

The Leeway advice and support line provides an effective and supportive service for people living with or fleeing domestic abuse.  

The advice line is open for calls 9.30am – 5pm on weekdays and based in the refuge teams at Great Yarmouth and Norwich 

Leeway is committed to creating a better, safer future for those affected by domestic abuse and know that the role of volunteers is invaluable in helping us to provide that service. 

Important: This is not a counselling role as Leeway does not provide counselling to people who use our service. This opportunity is restricted to female applicants due to the nature of the role (S.7(2)(e) SDA applies. Exempt under the Equality Act 2010 Schedule 9, Part 1).

Volunteers are an important and valued part of Leeway. We offer you: 

 •  An introduction to the charity and your team/project/role 

 •  Any training for your role, as stated in the role description 

 •  After three months of your help on a regular weekly basis, we can supply a reference 

 •  Support, feedback, appreciation and encouragement 

 •  To solve any problems as best we can 

 •  Free refreshments when you are on shift 

 •  Respect your dignity and treat you with kindness 

 •  Make use of your skills and talents and help you to develop new ones, if desired 

 •  Reimburse you for your travel expenses up to £15. 

 •  Ensure volunteering opportunities best suit your needs and Leeway’s needs 

 •  Keep you up-to-date with information concerning your role and the charity 

 •  A safe volunteering environment including covering you with insurance whilst you are     

     volunteering 

 •  Equal opportunities and fairness 

 •  Protect your personal information, holding it confidentially. 

What skills do I need? 

• You may be someone with previous experience of support work, a good listener, or simply someone who is passionate about helping others. 
• You may have experienced domestic abuse in your own life or supported a friend or family member through a difficult period in their life. 
• You may be retired and feel you have a lot of life skills, knowledge, and empathy that you could share and use to support others. 
• This is a rewarding role where you can feel that you have made a difference to someone’s life. 
• You will receive full training and ongoing support within the refuge team when carrying out this volunteering role. 
• A knowledge of inputting records onto a database would be useful but full training and guidance is given.  

What will I be doing? 

• The primary role of the volunteer would be to answer and respond to calls on the main Leeway helpline number. 
• This could be practical or emotional support over the phone, supporting victims and survivors, giving information to professionals or signposting onto other Leeway services. 
• Keeping a record of calls on our database. 
• Working within our team of dedicated and supportive staff   

 Practical Considerations 

Location: Our locations are confidential. The addresses can be provided after a confidentiality form has been completed. 

Hours: We would be looking for a minimum of 2 hours commitment a week based at either GY or Norwich   

Support: We provide full support and guidance while you are volunteering, and offer travel expenses up to £15. You will always have another team member with you at any event. 

Basic DBS Checks will be completed when working in refuge