Volunteer

Could you be a volunteer?

Our volunteers support young people in all areas of our work at the RPT and play a valuable part in supporting the services we offer. All volunteers work under the supervision of experienced staff.

The work is equally rewarding for both volunteer and client. For example, one of our volunteers worked with a talented young musician and helped him find a place at music school.

Roles can vary from ongoing one-on-one work to one-off projects while complementing the work of a key worker. For example, a volunteer could:

• tutor teenagers who are struggling academically with general skills such as essay writing or with specific subjects such as chemistry (this work can involve long term weekly meetings or shorter pre-exam support);
• befriend a pregnant teenager and continue support after the baby is born; this can include finding baby clothes, encouragement in attending pre-natal classes or help with studies so that the young mother doesn’t lose the momentum of her coursework when she can’t attend college and ongoing weekly meetings;
• respond to a specific need faced by a client’s family;
• or collate replies to a client survey.

Mentoring

When we match volunteers and clients for one-on-one work there is always a specific assignment such as maths tutoring or pregnancy support. As the relationship continues and trust builds thevolunteer may become more of a mentor who offers a wider range of advice.

This could include: university course selection; careers advice; how to handle criticism from a boss; helping start a baby off with a childminder; or how to shop for nutritious food.

If you would like to offer your services, please be aware that you will be asked for 2 references and must complete an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure application form which allows for a background check by the police.

If you would like to get involved, please complete the volunteer form and email to Catherine Moss at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Or print out and post your completed form to Mrs.Catherine Moss

The Rugby Portobello Trust, 221 Walmer Road, London W11 4EY

Thank you.

Volunteering at the RPT A message from Carmel M. February 2006

“I have been a volunteer with Portobello Rugby Trust for the last year and it has been a wonderful experience. After a number of years working within education I began full time study last year and was eager to get involved in some way in the local community. I contacted Portobello Rugby Trust and met with the co-ordinator of volunteers.

I have been working with some young adults as a tutor. The support that each person has requested has been quite different. One young woman was finishing her degree at university and wanted some support for the last two months as she prepared her final dissertation. We met regularly during those two months and communicated by e-mail. It was wonderful to see how the woman’s work developed, how her thought sharpened and her writing skills improved. She did very well in her degree.

For the last year I have been working with a young man who has a great desire to be a nurse. Last year he was pursuing an access course for nursing. We met regularly to review his assignments and plan an approach to them. The student received a place on a nursing course last September and now we meet every few weeks to review his nursing assignments. It is wonderful to see him do so well in nursing and I know that he will make a marvellous nurse. This year his course involves placements in a local hospital and I can see how much the work enthuses him and how suited he is to it.

I also work with a young woman who is on the staff of Portobello Rugby Trust. She requested some support with English. We try to meet once a week for an hour. Again it is wonderful to see a young woman who is so eager to seize opportunities in her life and make the most of them.

Volunteer work with Portobello Rugby Trust is something that I really enjoy. The people I have worked with have been so full of hope for their own futures even though they have faced difficulties of one sort or another. It is a great thing to be able to support someone in their hopes and ambitions for the future.

I think one of the most important aspects of working as a tutor is helping others to keep their dream before them and to help them believe that they can achieve it.”