Witness Service volunteers help witnesses and their supporters when they come to court to give evidence. Many witnesses are feeling anxious about the situation and find the environment formal and unfamiliar. Our volunteers are there to give guidance, information and emotional support, but in a very impartial way. We don’t know about the case or give any legal advice. We are interested in finding volunteers who are friendly, non judgemental, easy to talk to, flexible and good at communicating.

You might show witnesses and others around the courtroom before a trial so they are familiar and at ease in the environment. Volunteers can also go into the courtroom with a witness if permitted. You’d work as part of a team of staff and volunteers and liaise with court personnel to keep witnesses updated. It is very rewarding to know that you’ve helped someone through a difficult day. It’s also excellent insight into the Criminal Justice System and great experience of supporting others. We also have an enhanced outreach service for more vulnerable witnesses and children.

Skills

We provide full training and support plus reimbursement of expenses.

We look for volunteers who are friendly, empathetic and can remain impartial.
Good communication and listening skills.
Basic IT skills for email communication and online training.
No experience or knowledge of court needed as full training provided.

Additional Information

Our roles are for over 18s. We assist with the DBS check by providing an online link. Expenses reimbursed are for reasonable travel, lunch and parkin