Victim support charity issues appeal for volunteers with new four-hour initiative

Victim Support Scotland (VSS) is urging more local people to volunteer with the charity as it set a target of 200 new volunteers across Scotland. The charity supports anyone affected by crime in Scotland.

Andriana Selianiti is the Fife support co-ordinator with the charity, and said her experience has given her a well-rounded experience and a perspective she mightn’t have gotten with other careers.

She said: “Every aspect of this job is the best part of the job. It was my first job in the UK after moving from Greece to study a master’s degree in criminology, so everything was new and interesting to me, and I love learning.

“An amazing part of volunteering is that all the skills you learn are transferable and you get to use a range of skills every day.”

Support may entail providing advice during visits to court, including Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court, to help demystify the process, signposting services or just being there to listen.

Kate Wallace, chief executive of Victim Support Scotland, said: “Volunteers are the backbone of our organisation, and we need more of them in Fife to ensure we can continue to deliver vital services to the people who need it most in these areas.

“Our dedicated teams provide a broad range of support to help people affected by crime take control and move forward with their lives. Our work helps ease concerns and anxieties and offers comfort and hope to people in our own communities. Without volunteers, these services wouldn’t be possible.”