Volunteer with us
As a small charity with a big vision, Lister Steps is always looking for extra pairs of hands to help us make a difference.
With so much going on at The Old Library, there are loads of opportunities for you to get involved, no matter what your skills, experience or background.
You could help out in our café, get stuck in with gardening or read stories to the children in our nursery. You could use your skills from the workplace to deliver training that might help people get back into employment or share your hobbies & passions in a group activity that helps someone build their confidence and discover their hidden talents. You could even just tidy the bookshelf in our café next time you pop in for a coffee.
Lister Steps are committed to supporting our volunteers and developing their skills and abilities. Whatever your interests, get in touch to let us know how you can help – and how we can help you get where you want to be.
Want to know more about volunteering with Lister Steps? Take a look at what volunteers Margaret & Heather have to say.
Margaret – Knit and Natter volunteer
When I heard that a volunteer was needed to start a knitting group, I offered my services to teach and help others who wanted to learn how to knit. I love to meet new people and I believe everyone is gifted at something they can do well.
Within the first four weeks we had seven people attending. One lady was brilliant at crochet and I was overjoyed when a man joined the class and needed guidance about his pattern. We chatted over a ‘cuppa’ and biscuits and we learnt from each other exchanging patterns and wools. I had decided to knit various teddy bears with the intention to sell for my favourite charity (World Gospel Mission) which care for children in Kenya.
I was sad when lockdown started during the COVID-19 crisis as we put the group on hold and I had to say goodbye to some lovely people. A lot of people have wonderful gifts to share with others so the group is versatile and I hope a lot more people will come and join us in the future. See you there!
Heather – Local History Researcher
In 2018, I became a Research Volunteer for Lister Steps as they wanted people to look into the history of the Andrew Carnegie Library and its surrounding area. I thought that it would be a great opportunity for me because I had some Journalistic experience.
I had previously been trying to set myself up as a freelancer and had been writing articles about local history and the arts, but I had found difficult to get into due to so many people wanting to do the same. So I decided that I would gather some more experience together by helping out with the project and see where it took me, and I have found it to be much more rewarding than I ever imagined.
It has not only helped me improve my skills as a Writer and Researcher, but the people running the project, and some of those that I have worked with on it, have been so supportive when I’ve needed it; not just on the research aspect, they have also been very understanding when I’ve had emotional issues to deal with too, and I feel that I have made a few good friends, who I hope to keep in touch with once I have moved on to something else.
Get in touch
You can get in touch with us at community@tol.org.uk or give us a call on 0151 254 1394