Yorkshire MESMAC

At Yorkshire MESMAC, we value our volunteers highly. Their contribution to our organisation is greatly appreciated and helps to enhance the work that we do.

Our volunteers take part in many aspects of our services, including outreach work, taking part in specialised training, co-facilitating training, promoting our services, engaging with service users, packing condoms, helping with events such as Pride and World AIDS Day, and much more.

There are also opportunities to take part in different campaigns. They are usually close to our volunteers’ hearts who are always eager to get involved. We recently streamed a live discussion to highlight IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia). One of our volunteers was a speaker in this discussion, providing their own experiences and discussing how to be a good ally.

Some of the work that we do here at Yorkshire MESMAC is about battling the stigmas that surround certain groups of people in our communities. We feel that it is important to allow our volunteers a chance to get involved in discussions surrounding the stigma, as they bring their own experiences and knowledge which helps our organisation to understand people within our communities.

Another recent campaign for LBT Women’s Health Week also included one of our volunteers who helped to deliver a training session regarding the difficulties that trans women face when accessing health care.

Our volunteering programme is very much about personal development for our volunteers as well as the extra help that they provide in their involvement with the organisation. They bring valuable experiences, knowledge and skills that enhance the work that we do here at Yorkshire MESMAC.