Volunteering - an opportunity to use the skills learned from your work
Picture Penny: she has just turned seventy. Before she retired, Penny worked as a nurse in the community and then in a hospice. She lives in Hatfield, where she was born, with her husband, whose hobbies include trains and MG cars, and has two children, two grandchildren, and a “grand-dog”, Fudge. Penny likes gardening, line dancing and Zumba. She works three half days each week as a volunteer in the Isabel Hospice charity shop in Welwyn Garden City. She also volunteers with Communities 1st, particularly as a telephone befriender.
She is one busy lady. So, what makes her tick? Why does she volunteer for Communities 1st? I soon found out.
Penny enjoys helping people. She enjoys meeting and talking to people. Above all, she has a valuable skills set and range of experiences gained from being a district nurse which can be used as a volunteer. Penny explained to me that “After I qualified, I worked as a district nursing sister. As a nurse I’ve been talking to patients in their own homes for some 38 years! Talking and listening are so important.” Tellingly, she went on to say “I’ve learned that you can often tell by their voice if they’re okay. I will follow up my hunches, ask how they are, and they will often open up.”
Penny also told me that her experience helps her to understand the problems that service users can face. “I’ve got a good understanding of family relationships and the importance of the family’s history. This can all be useful when it comes to telephone befriending. As a former district nurse, I can picture people in their homes and the issues they might face. That helps.”
The importance of keeping to your role
However, the roles of the volunteer and the professional are different, and Penny is always mindful of this. “I never forget that I’m a volunteer befriender and not there to give nursing or medical advice. But I can watch for any problems that may emerge.” Penny emphasised to me that she always makes sure that the people she phones have the Communities 1st telephone number and when appropriate she will herself will contact Communities 1st if she has any worries.
“You’ve turned up again, just like a bad Penny!”
Penny is currently telephoning two people on a regular basis. “Dorothy* is in her late fifties and lives by herself. She hasn’t been well and recently had a medical problem.” Penny explained. “I ring her nearly every week and the calls last about thirty minutes. We talk quite a lot about television. We have a laugh about soap operas and what the characters are getting up to! Both Dorothy and I share a liking for horror films! She’s also interested in my garden.”
Penny also phones John* every fortnight for about forty minutes. John is around fifty and lives by himself. Penny says he has a good sense of humour, and their calls can be quite jokey! When Penny rings and says who she is, the response from John is often “You’ve turned up just like a bad penny.” John does most of the talking, Penny explained. “He often talks about quite personal matters. I need to be careful how I reply.”
“I enjoy these calls,” Penny told me. “I feel that I can talk to people and that they can talk to me.” She went on to explain that “people who are living alone or elderly really appreciate a call. It shows that someone is thinking about them, and they are not forgotten. A phone call can really be a highlight of their week. It’s amazing the number of people who have not got any family. I truly believe that telephone befriending can help someone stay in their own home.” Penny added that “when I’ve made the call, I feel that I have cheered someone up. I have the time to help, and I find it very satisfying to do so.”
The pre-Christmas ring round!
In the run up to Christmas, Penny helps with the ring round to the vulnerable people who are supported by Communities 1st. Again, this is using her skills from her nursing days that can help build a rapport. She explained: “We’ll ask several questions – how are you? What are your plans for the Christmas period? Will you be alone? Would you like a Christmas bag? Would you like a phone call over the period? And so on. This builds up an important picture and identifies the needs of people who may be vulnerable and how they may be helped by Communities 1st or another agency.”
Penny will also take the extra step. For example, last year over the festive period she rang an additional four people to offer a chat and friendship and to check that they were alright.
Have a go at volunteering
Penny started volunteering with Communities 1st during COVID and she has stayed on since. She helped with the bookings and “form filling” at vaccination centres in Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City. “I have a lasting memory,” she recalled, “of how pleased people were to see each other when they came for their vaccinations, having been at home for so long.” Penny added, “I was also pleased to help with COVID testing at Onslow School. I had been a pupil there in the 1960s! It’s also where my mother taught!”
Penny enjoys volunteering and feels supported by Communities 1st. “They are always there on the end of a phone and will provide back-up and follow-up when needed. I recommend volunteering. I get a lot of satisfaction from helping and I’m sure anyone else would too. Give it a try! It’s all a question of finding the job that suits you. Communities 1st is there to do just that. I’ve found the right job and you can too.”
Written by: Chris Cloke, Communities 1st Volunteer