Lincolnshire: ChildLine needs new volunteers in county

New research has found that volunteering for ChildLine benefits the volunteer too and has a positive personal impact.
NEWS: The Gainsborough StandardNEWS: The Gainsborough Standard
NEWS: The Gainsborough Standard

The charity has released figures that show volunteers get more than they bargained for, with 77.2 per cent stating an increase in confidence and 64.9 per cent saying they’ve had an increase in their own sense of self esteem.

The findings are being announced as ChildLine launches its New Year’s Resolution campaign, asking people in Lincolnshire to offer their time to support children and young people through the ChildLine’s Schools Service.

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ChildLine has five people who volunteer for its pioneering Schools Service in Lincolnshire. But to protect a generation of children it needs to recruit a further 30 volunteers in the county.

Volunteers will spend up to half a day a week helping support the programme which aims to prevent abuse before it starts by equipping children with the knowledge they need.

Sara Parker, area coordinator for service in Lincolnshire, said: “We’ve known that volunteering can be extremely rewarding, with many of our volunteers feeling a great sense of satisfaction that they’re making a difference to young people’s lives.”

“By volunteering for ChildLine you could help children understand what abuse is, giving them the confidence to talk about it, the knowledge to prevent it and the courage to find help if they ever need it.”

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Margaret Marsh has been volunteering for the service in Lincolnshire since September.

“The training and support you get as a volunteer is fantastic, which is what you need when you’re helping children to understand these sensitive issues,” she said.

“I wanted to volunteer for an organisation where I felt I could offer skills that will really make a difference. You only have to have listened to the news over the past year to know how important it is that we empower children to talk to a trusted adult or ChildLine if there is something happening that they’re worried about.”

For details on how to apply, visit www.nspcc.org.uk/childlinevolunteer.

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