Pact Celebrates Volunteers’ Week 2023

Volunteers’ Week is a time to show appreciation for the incredible individuals who dedicate their time, skills, and enthusiasm to supporting prisoners, people with convictions and their families.

Led by the National Council for Volunteering Organisations (NCVO), Volunteers’ Week is an annual celebration of the contribution millions of people make across the UK through volunteering in their communities.

At Pact, volunteers are the backbone of the organisation, playing a pivotal role in helping us to transform the lives of countless individuals across England and Wales. They bring unique perspectives, diverse talents, and a genuine passion for making a difference. With their help, we can extend our services further, ensuring no family is left behind.

Our Vision for Volunteering 2023 – 2026

As part of our commitment to volunteers, we are delighted to this week launch our three-year Vision for Volunteering.

The document has been co-produced with staff and volunteers, including Pact Peer Workers volunteering with service users in prisons and probation, and identifies four key areas of focus:

• Recruiting volunteers by building bridges, relationships, and partnerships with local communities
• Recruiting and supporting more volunteers with lived experience of the prison system
• Involving volunteers in shaping their experience and the charity’s work
• Delivering a high-quality volunteering experience

You can read our Vision for Volunteering here: Our Vision for Volunteering 2023-2026

Celebrations across England and Wales

Volunteers provide support across all Pact services, from working with defendants’ families in court to welcoming children and families in our prison visitors’ centres to providing one-to-one mentoring for prison leavers in the community. During this week and over the coming month, our teams across England and Wales will be hosting special volunteer ‘thank you’ events, including parties, afternoon teas, award presentations, and online gatherings.

Pact CEO Andy Keen-Downs shared:

"Volunteers personify community and empathy, inspiring others through their actions and fostering a sense of collective responsibility. Their efforts remind us that kindness and compassion can transform lives for good. This Volunteer’s Week, we express our deepest gratitude for the efforts of our volunteers across England and Wales and reflect on their profound impact on our service users and the communities in which we work. Thank you."

Could you volunteer?

Pact has more than 400 volunteers nationally, and last year, 9 out of 10 agreed that they felt they made a difference to their services. Could you be part of this very special team?

Starting your volunteer journey is only a click away. We recruit individuals from lots of different backgrounds and welcome those with lived experience of the criminal justice system. Find out more at https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/volunteer or email volunteering@prisonadvice.org.uk