In my role as volunteer coordinator, I respond to volunteer applications, meet people who are interested in volunteering and check references. If I’m in the office, I do admin. I invite people for an induction and organise an Emmaus Preston uniform for people starting with the team.
I regularly go to Emmaus Preston stores to check in with volunteers, making sure they are ok and to ask whether they have any issues or any needs. I feel it’s important to build a good rapport with volunteers because they are valued. I have been doing some pop-ups in stores to promote volunteering, I think it’s important to have face-to-face contact, to answer any questions or reservations around volunteering.
How I became a volunteer coordinator
I used to be a drugs and alcohol worker for 16 years, where I was working with lots of complex mental health and child protection cases as a counselling specialist. When my daughter A’liya suddenly passed away, I took a year off and made a decision not to go back to the role.
During that time, I was having a bad day and I prayed for something to happen differently. That was when I saw the job for volunteer coordinator with Emmaus Preston. I’ve known about Emmaus for years because I live nearby to the community home, but didn’t really know much about it.
I remember thinking about how I was going to answer any questions about the year I wasn’t working. But when one of the members of the interview panel asked what I was most proud of, I said climbing up Mount Snowdon to raise money and talked about the ALMFoundation_ that we set up in our daughter’s memory.
The importance of helping other people
Part of my previous role was working with people with complex needs, so I’ve worked with people who have been homeless before. I like people. I like talking to people. I like helping people. I like getting to know the companions as well as the volunteers.
Sometimes it’s good to humble yourself to others. What’s happened to me is tragic, but then I watch things on the news and people are suffering all over; if you can be a support and a comfort to others that is a good thing. What helped when A’liya passed, was the help from other people.
Through a partnership with Benefit Mankind, the ALMFoundation_ has helped build a mosque in Malawi and over a hundred houses and a water well. Like Emmaus Preston’s bike maintenance project, there’s a bicycle taxi project and various empowerment projects. There’s another project in Gaza Palestine where we’re helping raise money through Just Giving for widows and orphans and we’re supporting mosques being built in Indonesia.
Why I like working at Emmaus Preston
There are lots of pluses with Emmaus. It’s about reaching out and helping. It’s not faith based. Helping is helping. Emmaus is a very welcoming place and non-judgemental, from the support staff to the companions. This is the same for everyone I have met.
When I learned more about the charity, Emmaus is just what is needed in this country. It’s like the project we helped set up supporting in Malawi, it is giving people something they can do.
What is so impressive at Emmaus Preston is everyone supported here are sitting ready with their uniforms in the mornings, ready to go to work, and the passion people show for Emmaus. Like volunteering, what you put in, you get a lot back in return. The concept of Emmaus is amazing. It’s an opportunity to get back into society and into independent living.
The importance of volunteering
I have always felt volunteering is so important; I started off my career as a volunteer. Volunteering helps those who are in need, you are giving something back and it also has massive benefits to yourself. It can improve your mental mood, keep you busy, help you gain new skills (which is great for your CV), help with building communication skills, interact with others, the list goes on. If you even have a few hours a week to spare, I recommend volunteering for Emmaus Preston.
In the future, I would love to have a large team of dedicated volunteers, that can do various roles. This will help Emmaus and the companions enormously. I would love volunteers to help put on events and be creative. It doesn’t necessarily matter what the help is, it’s that it’s there, and volunteers are getting something back from giving up their time.
If you would like to share your skills with Emmaus Preston, please take a look at our current volunteer roles and opportunities or get in touch using our volunteer application form.