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Our Volunteers

• Are ordinary people who care about those who have no-one to talk to, or find it difficult to speak about the abuse they have suffered
• Have been professionally trained and have learned to listen safely and effectively
• Offer the Person-centred Approach which means that rather than advise you, we endeavour to hear how we can best support you
• Will never rush you or force you to speak about anything that you do not wish to
• Receive monthly professional supervision and on-going training
• Have been cleared by Disclosure Scotland

In an average year over 1,000 volunteer hours are spent on the Helpline opening hours, and we deal with around 1,500 calls during this time. We also spend more than 100 hours seeing clients face-to-face

From a Male Volunteer

“I started training with RAL in May 2005 and have recently started to work on line. I had previously been involved with various forms of voluntary work over many years but I was looking for the challenge of providing front-line support in the context of a close-knit and professional organisation, and RAL fitted the bill perfectly. I find the on line work an immense responsibility but I feel well prepared by the depth and breadth of my initial and on-going training,and from the encouragement given by my fellow volunteers, whose skill and commitment I greatly admire. I am looking forward to developing my own skills and self-awareness as I gain more experience in the coming months.”

From a Female Volunteer

“I became a volunteer with RAL after completing the COSCA course in Counselling Skills. I wanted to use those skills to support people who had survived rape and abuse, whether emotional, physical or sexual. Many survivors have never spoken of what they went through, or they have done, but have not been believed. This only strengthened my feeling that not enough support was being offered to them. As a RAL support worker, my desire is to offer a listening ear to those who have been affected by all forms of abuse. My hope for those survivors is that they will find the support and healing which they are looking for. In RAL we are trained to listen and stick with the client where they are – never to push or direct. I aim to walk alongside the client in their personal journey and believe that positive progress will take place as long as I/we offer unconditional acceptance, honest responses and continually seek to understand what it is like to be in their world. Being a RAL volunteer is a big commitment. Approximately one weekend per month is required for on-going training, support and supervision, but I have gained so much in my personal development during those times that I feel I owe RAL a great debt. I have learnt that the past can only hold me back if I let it and that things can change for the better. I hope to continue with RAL for many years to come.”

From A Supervisor

“I have been a Supervisor with RAL for several years, attending RAL meetings when one of the other Supervisors is not available, and doing most of my supervision work by phone from my home in Aberdeenshire. When not working for RAL I work as Head of Aberdeen University Counselling Service where I have worked for the past 15 years after training to be a Counsellor in Montreal, Canada. Whilst in Canada I worked for the Montreal Rape and Abuse centre for a number of years which led to my interest in working with RAL when the opportunity came up.”

From A Female Volunteer

“I joined RAL in 1996 after hearing that a telephone helpline was looking for volunteers. My children had left home and the time just seemed right. I knew very quickly from the Training I received that this was an organisation that I could work with and have great respect for. I was trained and treated in a person-centred way that immediately gave me a sense of warm acceptance, of being heard and valued in a way that I have tried to emulate over the years when listening to our clients. As well as the on-going Training with RAL I completed the COSCA Counselling Skills Course followed by an Advanced Diploma in Counselling – I qualified in 2002 and now have a contract with a Children/Family Charity counselling individual family members as well as young people. I feel privileged to be a volunteer support worker with RAL and am often struck by the courage that it must take for our clients to pick up the telephone – I hope I never undermine that trust placed in us.”

From a Female Volunteer

“I joined RAL in 2003 after seeing an advert in the local paper for volunteers. I had experience of rape victims, but from a different perspective. The training I receive in RAL, which is on-going, is very thorough and helpful in my dealing with callers to RAL. I am trained in a person-centred way and I am able to support callers by listening, and hearing what they are saying, non-judgementally and unconditionally. I am at present doing a CTI Counselling Skills Course at college and hope to put it to good use with RAL. I find the experience with RAL very rewarding, both as a volunteer and in my own personal growth.”

24 hour answer services will provide latest times that lines will be open.