While FCN operates throughout England and Wales and all volunteers are part of a national network, most volunteers work within a county group, at a local level. Volunteers will need good local and regional agricultural knowledge and contacts in order to support clients. Each group is led by a Coordinator and proactive pastoral care of volunteers who undertake case work is offered by a county group chaplain. Volunteers donate their time to FCN, as much or as little every month as they like.
Below we will outline some of the key volunteering roles within FCN, but there are lots of other ways you can get involved too. Click here to read an article for some more ideas about how you can volunteer with our charity.
Watch a video about volunteering with FCN below:
Ways you can volunteer:
Caseworker
The County Coordinator will assign you a case appropriate to your experience and in your locality, briefing you as fully as possible, in confidence, about the circumstances of the client. You then arrange a visit and start the “walking with” befriending process, discovering what the issues are affecting the client and working through them together, towards resolution. Induction training is provided and a comprehensive handbook is supplied with invaluable information. Pastoral support for FCN casework volunteers is always available.
Helpline Volunteer
A telephone Helpline volunteer is often the first point of contact with FCN and empathy, compassion and a clear head to glean information are essential for this role. The Helpline volunteer becomes part of a weekly rota and is required to spend a four hour shift with access to a phone to which FCN’s national Helpline telephone number is diverted. Induction training is provided and a comprehensive handbook is supplied with invaluable information. Pastoral support for FCN helpline volunteers is always available. Read a helpful Q&A with some of our Helpline volunteers here to learn more about what motivates them and how they support the farming community.
Chaplain
Each county group appoints a Chaplain to provide spiritual, pastoral and emotional support to volunteers. Chaplains are regular worshipping members of a Christian denomination and may be either an ordained minister from any denomination or a lay person whose skills for the role are recognised by the Group.
Secretary
A good secretary will relieve the Coordinator of most administration relating to group meetings, preparing and circulating agreed agendas, minutes and other group correspondence, ensuring all volunteers are circulated with this and other information related to FCN activities. The secretary will also be expected to deal with any other correspondence for the group, for example, helping the Coordinator or Chairperson to arrange a speaker for a group meeting or a training event.
Fundraiser
Are you a natural fundraiser? Do you enjoy arranging events? Do you have new and imaginative ideas for generating funds or maybe you would be prepared to rattle a tin? If any of these activities appeal, then we’d love to hear from you! FCN works hard to keep its costs to a minimum but funds are always required to ensure the telephone Helpline continues to be available every day and that FCN volunteers can travel to support those who need them – however isolated they may be.
Local Promotion and Publicity
FCN has a wonderful story to tell – and maybe you can help us tell it! Perhaps you have a way with words, good local press and media contacts, or have a talent for talking to groups? Whatever your promotional or publicity strength, please consider using it to help inform the public about who and what FCN is about – we can only help if those who need support know about FCN!
Hear from our volunteers about why they choose to volunteer with FCN
- Emily Fleur’s story: https://fcn.org.uk/blog/2020/12/02/volunteer-spotlight-emily-fleur/
- Emily Davies’ story: https://fcn.org.uk/blog/2022/01/21/volunteer-spotlight-emily-davies/
Register your interest in volunteering today!
To express an interest in volunteering for FCN, simply fill out the form below or email us at help@fcn.org.uk. We will aim to respond to you within 48 hours.