STRIVE was a programme TLC ran in partnership with Greater Manchester Police between 2018 and March 2022.

Across this time period we were able to continually expand the areas we offered support and ended up having teams of volunteers placed in every single Greater Manchester borough.  The STRIVE model was based on empowering people within their communities to make informed decisions around their own wellbeing. Our trained volunteers would attend homes where 999 had been called, following a police call-out where no crime could be record, and provide after-care support. The volunteering team were armed with knowledge of support services including those around toxic relationships, mental health issues, debt worries or addiction to gambling or substances etc, and were able to empower individuals to seek support for any issues they may have been facing.

Learn more about STRIVE

I started as a volunteer through my university during my undergraduate degree in psychology with counselling and psychotherapy. I was placed with a team led by Laura Brown.

This team worked in partnership with Greater Manchester police to provide assistance to individuals, couples and families who have had a domestic dispute reported to the police. I was tasked with signposting these people to specific organisations and charities throughout Manchester and online, that may provide them assistance. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with strive and really helped me solidify that I want to help others as a therapist.

STRIVE was decommissioned in March 2022. At TLC: Talk, Listen, Change we gained extensive knowledge of the communities we work in through this project, as well as worked closely with our friends and colleagues within the sector also working to promote safe, healthy and happy relationships.

After leaving STRIVE and obtaining a 2:1 I decided to study a masters in counselling in Wales. This course required a work based learning and counselling placement which I know TLC provided. I contacted Laura as I liked TLC’s ethos, beliefs and ideals, and was familiar with how they worked to help others in the Manchester community. I will now be working with TLC again in a different team, but I know I will thoroughly enjoy the experience.

I’d love to volunteer