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As our Volunteer Coordinator, Lucy Graham, celebrates 10 years in post, she looks back on the road that got her to this point and how whilst things change some things always stay the same.

When I first went for the Volunteer Coordinator job at Circles South West 10 years ago, I had never heard of the charity. I didn’t move in the criminal justice circle and although I had previously worked for charities, social housing and such the like, I had never stepped into the criminal justice sector. I did think of lying of course, I wanted the job so badly. But I am a terrible liar and I was sure nothing good would come of it. I was taken by their mission statement – “No More Victims”. It was a lofty ideal and I was a dreamer, it seemed like a match made in heaven.

I remember the phone call to say I had got it – I was randomly in a field and it was sheep that heard my joyous squeals (after trying, and failing, to be incredibly professional on the phone to our CEO, Jo Burden). I was struck by the excitement of the possibilities and also by the enormity of the task – how does one convince members of the public to volunteer with people who have sexually offended?

There was lots to do on my appointment; a central database to set up, files for every volunteer, paperwork carefully held on everyone and systems upon systems to organize. I was in my element with all of that but it was the core of my duty, recruitment, that was like a puzzle I could not solve. Yes, we had a rather decent number of volunteers in 2015 but we needed more. With more funding came more circles, came more need. And it was me, little old me, that was the one to do it. I could succeed, or I could fail rather badly – and I was something fearful it would be the latter.

Back then we had various websites to advertise on and lots of potential in print media. 2015 doesn’t sound like a very long time ago but with the rapid advancement of technology and the rise and rise of social media it was a significantly different landscape than what we see today. Adverts in newspapers and magazines was still a great way to attract people to roles, as were flyers and such the like. A few years after I joined, I remember our intrepid Bristol coordinators valiantly flyer dropping all over the city in an effort to find new volunteers. We religiously approached church groups, community groups, neighbourhood watches. If you can think it, we tried it over the years. Slowly but surely our numbers started to rise.

What nobody told me though is that whatever great thing you have that is working, will all of a sudden not work anymore. Things can change so quickly with people and avenues of recruitment that you have to be ready to roll, with the times and onto new things. You have to see the trends, the slow down, and be ready to try something new. Thinking outside the box was always the norm. It’s kept me on my toes and creative for my entire time in this role.

But the people I met from day 1 was one of the greatest part of my job. When I look back over the last 10 years and all the people I’ve met. I call some close friends now – ties that go beyond the roles of Volunteer and Coordinator. I’ve met hundreds of people; generous, passionate, intelligent people who chose to give their precious time to help other human beings find a different road. They all had their different reasons; some had personal experience with abuse, some were on a road to a career in criminal justice, some had come from said career and some just wanted to do something meaningful with their free time. All of them believed in the power of rehabilitation and were excited to make a very real mark on lives in their community.

In the early days, well years, I remember that one of the hardest things I grappled with was the fragility of plans. Volunteers cancelling the day before training, the day of, or sometimes not a word heard from again. The long waits for responses to my emails, the ghosting, the changes of heart. I had to learn empathy, understanding and grace, most of which I thought I already had – I just had to find it in abundance. I had to remember that even with best intentions, life is a fickle thing that likes to throw the unforeseen at you. That volunteering is an added extra in what are usually very busy and complex lives. It made me even more grateful and gave me a better understanding of what it takes to commit to such a long and sometimes difficult volunteering project.

The differences between then and now, there are many. The vastness that we have expanded – from volunteer numbers to projects to services we deliver, blows my mind. But the similarities are still here too – our small staff’s dedication, our vision and mostly our sanity. The world has changed and we have survived because we changed with it.

This is the longest I have ever been at a job. I think it’s because every year there is new challenges, new accomplishments to be had and things that I just didn’t get to the year before. Like a symphony that one starts with a melody and then bit by bit you add all the other instruments in. Professionally I have come so far but personally I have too. I’m incredibly proud of what we, as a team, have created and maintained for the last decade. But none of this would have been possible without the work of our amazing volunteers. Ordinary people who decided they wanted to something extraordinary.

So, here’s to the next 10 years. I am excited for the people I am yet to meet and the places we are going as a charity. Volunteers will come and go; staff will come and go but the legacy of what we have created together will hopefully flourish for many more years to come.