Voluntary Action Calderdale, in partnership with West Yorkshire Police and West Yorkshire Probation Trust are offering people in the Calderdale area the opportunity to join an innovative volunteer project called Commit 2 Change. This 2 year pilot project aims to reduce re-offending rates in Calderdale by offering tailored support to address the needs of offenders in the area, help them break the cycle of offending and become settled members of the community again.

Support needs could include, but are not limited to, low self-esteem, lack of confidence, mental health problems, drug and alcohol addictions, housing, unemployment, debt and money management. Voluntary Action Calderdale are now recruiting Volunteers to train as Offender Mentors. After completing a training course, Offender Mentors will be matched with an individual who they will support to complete a court ordered requirement.

The length of this match and the type of support will vary according to each individual’s support needs and the length of their order from court. Mentors will receive ongoing support from the Mentor Coordinator and probation staff. We would be particularly interested to hear from any men in the Community who may wish to undertake the role. The training course is scheduled to begin in late November and will last for 5 weeks. The course is free and will cover topics such as confidentiality, boundaries, safeguarding, diversity and offender support.

If you are interested please contact Sarah Longfield on 01422 431090 or email sarah.longfield@cvac.org.uk for an informal chat and an application pack.