Hi! My name is Pauline and I have been volunteering at the Health Project for several months.
Why volunteering? Well initially you could say it was on doctor’s orders. I had been on sick leave for a long time, and although I was not well enough to go back to work my GP thought it would do me good to do some voluntary work in order to widen my horizons.
Why the Health Project? There were two reasons for this choice. The first was that I was already familiar with the work the project does, and knew that it was something that was well worth getting involved with. The second was that I have a qualification in health promotion, and I wanted to gain practical experience to along side the book learning.
What have I been doing? I have been working with the health information team. This means that I have been involved in helping to promote the work of the Project itself, and telling people about NHS Inform, the most up to date way of getting trustworthy advice on all health matters. I have been involved in helping to staff stalls at health fairs, a local gala, and talking to people at a local health clinic.
What have I gained from this? On one level I have benefited from the knowledge that I have helped other people. On another level speaking to other people has helped me to become more confidence and increased my self esteem. I have made new friends and had new experiences. I have also gained the practical experience I wanted.
Will I continue to volunteer? Without a doubt! I am now back to work part time, but I still enjoy going to the Health Project. The work is worthwhile, everyone is very friendly, and its fun! Come along and see!