We visit women working in massage parlours to ensure they are safe and well - and we need your help

We support women working in parlours across the city. (Illustrative picture by Roman Denisenko)

The New Futures Project is putting together a team of female volunteers to extend our work in support of women working in massage parlours.

Working under the supervision of a senior member of staff at the project, our volunteers will arrange and undertake visits to check whether the women are working in safe conditions.

In some cases, this will inevitably involve some discussion, negotiation even, with the people who own the parlours.

However, historically we have found them more than willing to let us in to speak to the women about health and welfare.

As ever, any bonds of trust we can form with the women in these circumstances could be the beginning of something more positive for them.

Our work in this field is and has been supported by National Lottery money.

READ MORE: 'Our outreach workers change lives' - help us build our team to carry out this vital work

READ MORE: 'It's a place where people come to heal' - newly qualified counsellor Jo on their time with New Futures

Our friends at De Montfort University made this film about our outreach team a few years ago.

Our director Della Kagure Brown said: "This can be a challenging but very rewarding role.

"Our volunteers often form quite close relationships with the women working in the saunas and really enjoy their work. It is such an important part of the support we provide."

Last month, we announced that we hope to build a team of 10 to 12 volunteers to run our night-time outreach service for women engaged in street-based sex work.

We are still working on this - you can read more about this work here - and are speaking to a number of candidates.

We would be happy for our female volunteers to become part of both teams.

The New Futures Project offers a comprehensive welfare and counselling service for women and young people dealing with sexual abuse or exploitation, domestic violence, trafficking, poverty and debt, substance use or mental ill-health.

Call us on 0116 251 0803 or send us a message at: info@new-futures.org.uk

You can find us at 71 London Road, Leicester, LE2 0PE.