How a talented service user became a valuable member of the team.

Almost every charity relies on volunteers and the Bond Board has been developing our Volunteer Project since its relaunch in 2023. So far, 32 volunteers have been recruited, supporting the Migrant Services drop in, our bi-weekly Quid’s In sessions, the Letting Out team and with office administration. Our volunteers have become an integral part of the Bond Board’s service delivery, with 16 volunteers currently active across 4 work areas. In 2024-25, volunteers gave 950 hours of their time. We are committed to the personal development of each individual volunteer.

Suzanne (not her real name) and her young son were originally referred to our Migrant Support Service over 5 years ago by a partner organisation after being granted asylum by the Home Office. People granted asylum have fled difficulties in their home countries and have almost always suffered some kind of trauma.

Suzanne was plunged into an entirely new environment where she needed to find somewhere to live and support for her son, who has a serious skin condition. This was a very challenging time for her and, lacking confidence in her ability to clearly communicate in English, she was reluctant to contact our case worker. Of course, we don’t rely on people in Suzanne’s circumstances to initiate contact and once we’d been in touch with her, we were able to ensure the right accommodation and financial support were in place. In Suzanne’s case, this also meant access to the regular medical care her son needs and the additional educational support a young person moving to the UK usually requires.

As Suzanne became more settled, she began to think about employment and applying the skills she had developed working in finance before her move. She wanted to work in a business environment again but felt her options were limited while she cared for her son. He initially had some difficulty settling in to his nursery, adding to Suzanne’s anxiety.

We needed someone to help us in the Bond Board office and asked Suzanne if she’d like to volunteer. She began working with our office administrator and her help was invaluable. This was a win-win because Suzanne built her confidence in the workplace while retaining the flexibility she needed to work around her son’s needs.

In November 2023, we launched a drop-in service for non-UK nationals who need help with resettlement and other issues people face adapting to living in a new country. We asked Suzanne if she’d like to volunteer as a peer support worker. She had two major concerns, first that she wasn’t sure if her experience would translate into helping other people in a similar situation and, second, she worried about how it would affect her emotionally.

She decided to go ahead and those concerns were soon dispelled as she was able to support people who came to the drop-in in a thorough and professional way. Her lived experience enabled her to show compassion and empathy and made her a valuable member of the team.Her confidence grew and we provided mentoring and training to support her.

Including her office and drop-in experience, she had been volunteering for 2 years when a vacancy arose in our Migrant Support Service team. Suzanne felt confident enough to apply and got the job! Suzanne became a  Bond Board employee and a vital member of the Migrant Support team. Her experience and insight have been  invaluable and we are thrilled to see her personal growth and professional development. She has successfully resettled and made a significant contribution to the Bond Board and the people she supports. She is very grateful for the training and encouragement she has received and delighted to be able to become part of the support network herself.

Suzanne’s case is a great example of how a determined though vulnerable person is referred to the Bond Board for support, develops their confidence as they feel more at home and becomes part of the support network. Our volunteer programme attracts people with a wide range of backgrounds who volunteer to gain work experience, give something back after receiving support themselves or to help with social isolation. They are an essential part of the Bond Board service.

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