Emily – Reach Southwell Volunteer
Psychology graduate Emily has used her volunteering experience at Reach to demonstrate to potential employers how she has can take on responsibility and use her creative skills in different contexts. She has since been offered paid employment.
“I volunteer in the Art class at Reach Southwell. I have been doing this for five months. I help run sessions and assist clients to develop skills which are meaningful to them, specifically art skills. I also help with housekeeping and organisation of the charity's facilities.
The goals I would like to obtain which led me to volunteer as an assistant included maintaining my workplace skills and confidence while looking for work. I am also seeking to go into a creative industry and have been interested in art therapy. Volunteering gives me the opportunity to explore this interest while giving back to my local community.
My main induction to prepare me for the sessions was supported by Wayne, Reach’s Volunteer Manager, who checked in on me to monitor my progress at the start. Once I had settled into the art volunteer role, Helen, the Reach Southwell Centre Manager, helped guide me on how to support clients. Helen leads the sessions and helps direct my activity with the clients. I have also completed online safeguarding training, which increased my awareness of some of the issues that people with learning disabilities face.
Volunteering has taught me how to work with a group of vulnerable people. Through volunteering with clients, I have gained an appreciation of the importance of feeling a sense of belonging in a group. The art group is a social environment which provides a lot of peer support. I learn a lot from clients while I try to help them enjoy the session and gain new skills.
As a volunteer I have to think creatively and adapt to each session plan. I like to try to make a positive difference by supporting clients to express themselves through art. During the sessions I make sure clients feel encouraged should they find certain sessions more challenging. As the sessions have progressed, I have seen growth in clients and their ability to try new things.
I was given the opportunity to lead a session on Piet Mondrian which the clients really engaged with. In the session, I helped them to create their own artworks in the style of Mondrian, which gave them a great sense of achievement. I developed skills in how to lead a session and work collaboratively with other volunteers. This gave me the confidence to present the session in an engaging way for the clients.
The most memorable parts of volunteering are when clients learn to do things independently which they previously found challenging. Seeing their self-belief and confidence grow and be facilitated by a supportive network shows the difference creative sessions can make.
The best thing about volunteering at Reach is seeing the joy and pleasure that clients with learning disability get from undertaking creative activities. I enjoy working on a one-to-one basis to provide individual support. This has reinforced my desire to work with a charity or organisation who advocate and promote acceptance of mental health and learning disability in the future.”