Case studies: Volunteer and information coordinator: Morwenna Foden

Morwenna is the volunteer and information coordinator for Sheffield Mind. She has a BA in Biblical Studies and a diploma in counselling.

Prior to gaining this role I worked in a paid capacity as a road safety officer, and on a voluntary basis I was involved in setting up and managing a small charitable organisation called Sheffield Pregnancy Counselling Support. This voluntary role involved recruiting, training and supporting volunteers, so I believe this experience helped me secure my current paid position.

The volunteer coordinating part of my role is to recruit, train and support volunteers. This can involve dealing with initial queries and applications, conducting informal interviews and coordinating and supporting existing volunteers. I also liaise with other staff about the needs they have from volunteers. Much of the work is deskbound but there's also a fair amount of 1:1 work/meetings and some work outside of the office, such as external training and networking events. My role has really developed over the last couple of years since I have been in post. When I started there was minimal volunteer coordination. I have now established several more volunteer roles and developed appropriate training, put robust systems in place and developed a steady turnover of volunteers.

I really enjoy working with a diverse range of people. Working with both staff and volunteers on an almost daily basis means that my role is at the centre of the organisation and therefore I feel really involved and valued in my job. Volunteers are rewarding people to work with because they are so willing and enthusiastic. One of the most enjoyable things is to see volunteers develop, especially as many volunteers at Sheffield Mind are mental health service users and I get to watch them grow in confidence.

The most challenging part of my job is mediating between staff and volunteers as needs and expectations can differ. I also sometimes have to say no to prospective volunteers. It can be highly detrimental to put a volunteer in a role that's not right for them, both to the organisation and to the individual.

I really enjoy working in the voluntary sector and have found that there is plenty of room for development and taking initiative. I have recently been seconded to spend two days a week setting up a pilot project for mental health service users around personalisation and self-directed support. In the coming year or two I can see my role developing further. My longer-term ambitions are around perhaps working in different charities setting up new services.

My advice to anyone interested in this type of work is to volunteer - you have to really believe in volunteering to advocate it. Many volunteer roles can lead to training and supporting other volunteers and then you have hands-on experience that would strengthen job applications. I think being interested in the area of work that the job is in is also beneficial but not essential.