Touchstone supports a very diverse range of individuals across West Yorkshire so you have the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience in many different settings. Take a look at what we do below and you can get an idea of where your volunteering can take you!

For more information please email volunteers@touchstonesupport.org.uk

Advocacy Kirklees in Dewsbury – advocacy service for Kirklees delivered by Touchstone in partnership with Advonet. Provides advocacy services for people in Kirklees that empowers people to know their rights and make choices and decisions about their lives particularly around concerns or complaints about care, mental health and NHS services.  Can provide independent Mental Capacity Advocacy, Care Act Advocacy , Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Advocacy, Independent NHS Health Complaints Advocacy General Advocacy – for people who are looking for other, non-statutory advocacy, Peer, self and group advocacy.

Blossom Clinic for Non-Pregnant Survivors of FGM – National Female Genital Mutilation Support Clinics in Leeds – The clinic is for non-pregnant women and offers a one-stop service for women who have undergone and/or are experiencing problems as a result of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The clinic offers support for women who have physical and/or psychological health issues as a result of FGM.  Aim’s to improve the uptake of emotional support by providing support from another female health advocate.

BME Dementia Service in Leeds – Touchstone’s BME Dementia Service raises awareness of dementia in BME (black and minority ethnic) communities and to ensure that people living with dementia are properly supported. Raises awareness and understanding of dementia within BME communities in Leeds by offering culturally appropriate information in different languages, support obtaining a diagnosis and one-to-one support to those with dementia and their carers. Has volunteer opportunities.

Community Support Team in Leeds – The Community Support Team (CST) accepting referrals from Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT’s) and other agencies. The CST offers a one-to-one, voluntary sector support outreach service to people aged 18 or over who have had acute mental health difficulties and currently living in the community, or soon to be discharged from hospital. Service users may have also previously been excluded from services, or been unable to access other services

Touchstone Community Volunteers Project – The first stage for adults over the age of 18 who would like to volunteer with Touchstone. Offers skills development, increased knowledge and understanding of mental health, homelessness, social exclusion, offending, dementia, family support and substance misuse. Opportunities for positive voluntary work experience, mandatory and ongoing training programme, personal development series of volunteer placements and ongoing supervision.

Stronger families in Bradford – National Lottery Community Funded and the European Social Funded service to support parents to access training, start job searching and find employment. Individual Key Worker works with individuals for about 6 months; offers support with health and wellbeing, reducing debt and budgeting as well as supporting the transition into work. Works closely with other organisations that offer a range of services. It’s a voluntary programme and is available to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria.

Self Directed Support and Individual Budgets in Leeds – People with care and support needs can access a local council care and support package called Self Directed Support and Individual Budgets. Touchstone can work with people who have their own personal budgets which allow them to purchase your own care and support services. Touchstone can be part of the package of care that is chosen. Aims to maximise individuals’ involvement, empowerment and control over how their needs are met. Can provide 1-1 support with Support and has BME workers who speak 21 different languages.

Touchstone Service User (SU) Involvement Project  in Leeds – There are many ways for service users to lead and change things at Touchstone.  From being the directors of your own support to leading the organisation at Board level. The service runs regular forums at which service users are able to ask questions and make suggestions about Touchstone’s services. There is also a programme of training available for service users. There are volunteering opportunities to help promote greater SU involvement and to help organise SU-participation events.

Shafa – South Asian Offenders Service in Leeds – Works with people from the South Asian community who have offended using a recovery and strengths based approach to support people to access local resources, including employment, training, education and housing and health and wellbeing services. Also help people to address family relationship issues and substance misuse, cultural considerations and any other issues that act as triggers for offending behaviour.

Sikh Elders Service in Leeds – The service seeks to improve the health and well-being of older Sikh men and women aged 55+ who live in Leeds – by supporting them to live independently, and to live fulfilling lives. We do this by offering a combination of one to one support and group activities.  These are designed to help elders to take greater control of their lives by solving practical problems such as; money worries, housing, health difficulties, transport problems, overcoming isolation and loneliness. All staff speak Punjabi, respect confidentiality and we make sure that the privacy, dignity and choices of our elders are at the heart of everything they do.

Touchstone Beacon Housing in Leeds – Is an accommodation- based Housing and support service for individuals, couples and families (over 16 years old) who are vulnerable and have complex needs.  The service provides hostel-based and own tenancy accommodation to homeless people and people in housing need who have an established local connection to Leeds. Beacon is a consortium made up of Turning Lives Around (TLA), Touchstone and Foundation. Referrals are made via Leeds City Council Leeds Housing Options service. Volunteering opportunities to train as a complex needs volunteer Peer Mentor are available.

The Well-Bean Café in Leeds & Kirklees – Out-of-hours Crisis café which supports anyone in a crisis; offers a non-clinical alternative to A & E, to reduce distress and work with people to resolve or better manage crisis. It provides a safe place for people in crisis to go and to prevent avoidable attendances at A&E. The Leeds Hope and Well-Bean Café is a partnership between Leeds Survivor Led Crisis Service and Touchstone. Runs at 5 different venues across the week from 6pm to midnight. Offers one-to-one support and also a social space, where refreshments and hot food will be available. Referrals can be via professionals or by self-referral. Volunteering opportunities are available.

Your Space in Leeds. The service will deliver and promote a range of activities, awareness campaigns and signposting for people who live in LS8, LS9, LS10 and LS11. We will work with individuals and communities to develop and identify the tools, skills and know-how to live happy, healthy lives, and to maintain their wellbeing. This is a partnership project between Touchstone, Holbeck Elderly Aid, Women’s Health Matters and Leeds Beckett University – Centre for Health Promotion Research.

Liaison and Diversion (L&D) services in Leeds, Bradford & Wakefield – Identifies people who have mental health, learning disability, substance misuse or other vulnerabilities when they first come into contact with the criminal justice system as suspects, defendants or offenders.  The aim is to divert individuals away from crime and into health, social care or other support organisations. Service is based at custody suites in West Yorkshire. Delivered in partnership with Wakefield Council, Wakefield Youth Offending Team, Together Women Project, West Yorkshire Police, Leeds Youth Offending Service, The Bridge Project. Opportunities to volunteer.