We are thankful for each volunteer we have.
Young people may be the heart, but volunteers are the lifeblood of LGBTYS; for a few hours every week, they give young people a safe space to be themselves. They encourage them to see what their futures could look like and help them get there. One young person from Stirling summed their experience up, “It has been great! I feel safe and I feel like I can be myself without feeling worried about bullying!”
Several volunteers were previously young people who used our services. One of our Edinburgh Volunteers said,
“I chose to be a volunteer with LGBTYS as I want to give back to the organisation who helped me when I was a young person when I needed it most. I wouldn’t be here without the youth workers and volunteers. I love what they do so volunteering appealed to me because I want to help young people see their true potential and to be proud of who they are.”
Folks who are part of the LGBTQ+ community need a message of hope. Young People more so. Our volunteers support our weekly youth groups, digital services, and youth commissions. One of our youth commission members from Dumfries & Galloway said,
"Thanks to being part of a young person's commission, I have far more confidence in myself and where my knowledge and skills lie. I've been able to influence important policies relating to Trans people and my experience has helped me get other opportunities outside of LGBTYS."
Our volunteers freely give their time to support LGBTYS, and before they join a youth group, they undergo rigorous recruitment and a minimum of 15 hours of training to help prepare them to work with young people who access our services.
On average, our 80+ volunteers have been with us for just over 2 ½ years and share 6 to 12 hours each month supporting over 20 youth groups, our digital services and the organisation. There is no way for us to fully do justice to the positive impact Volunteers have on our work, but we could not deliver the life-saving services we do without them.
Dr Mhairi Crawford
Daniel Bustillos-Arell
Chief Executive
Volunteering & Capacity Building Manager
