We’re looking for non-judgemental, committed volunteers who believe in people’s capacity to change. Is this you?

BDP has a long and proud history of working with volunteers. We strongly value volunteers’ contribution to our services and have been accredited with Investing In Volunteers since February 2009.

We are now recruiting for Project Volunteers, Youth team volunteers and Creative Communities Volunteers.

Please ensure you read all the information provided in the application packs before applying.

• Role Description (either for Project Volunteering, Youth team volunteers or Creative Communities Volunteering)
• Information about volunteering at BDP (and how to apply)
• Application form
• Equalities monitoring form

Applications to apply to be a volunteer are open throughout the year. However, we run interviews in batches every quarter (January, April, July and October). This is because we are passionate that our volunteers receive comprehensive training before starting to work throughout the organisation. After the interviews have taken place, we will run a group training session with all new volunteers. You will need to be available for the interview date and complete the training before starting any work with us.

For all volunteering you will need to complete – 5 days of training (Monday to Friday 10.00 – 5.00)

We would particularly welcome applications from Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups (particularly Somali and Polish speakers), people with historical lived experience of problematic drug and alcohol use (including supporting a loved one), and people from the many diverse communities that make Bristol unique.

What you will be doing as a volunteer

Project Volunteers

Project Volunteers are based in the Health and Harm Reduction Centre (HHR Centre) and Needle Exchange at our central office in Brunswick Square. The HHR Centre is open from Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm and on Saturdays 9.30am – 1pm. Anyone with any kind of drug or alcohol related problem can come in. The centre is staffed by Engagement workers and volunteers.

Health and Harm Reduction Centre – volunteers welcome, engage, offer harm reduction advice, refer, assess and signpost service users on, including to our onsite nurses.

Needle  Exchange - volunteers  are  fully  trained,  inducted  and  supported  to  work  in  the  needle exchange  where  service  users  can  get  new  injecting  equipment,  return  used  needles  for safe disposal and get advice on safer injecting and harm reduction.

Outreach – Volunteers can also, if they wish, support staff to go out to hostels, our wet clinics and our allotment service.

Youth Team

The Community Team volunteers support staff to run our M32 group for children who have been affected by their parent’s or carer’s use of drugs.  Volunteers are also needed to help staff with picking up children and dropping them home.

Creative Communities Volunteers

Creative Communities Volunteers help support Rising Voices Recovery Choir, Bristol Recovery Orchestra, Hip Hop Garden, Recovery in Motion and Sober Spaces. These weekly groups are open to anyone who has been affected by drug and alcohol use, and no musical experience is necessary. We have weekly rehearsals and regular performances.

For more detail see The Role Descriptions in each application pack.