Published at 11:27, Wednesday, 06 June 2012

Stuart Watson happily admits that his reasons for becoming a volunteer were not entirely selfless.

Doing his bit: Stuart Watson at Cumbria Law Centre, Carlisle, where he works as a volunteer

Help others, certainly. But Stuart’s main motivation when he offered his services to Cumbria Law Centre was to give his career a boost.

Six months on, the arrangement is working to everyone’s satisfaction. The Law Centre has an enthusiastic volunteer for one and a half days a week.

And Stuart, 32, is gaining the experience he needs to launch himself on a new career path.

As economic turmoil drags on, people like Stuart are becoming increasingly important.

Many voluntary groups and charities are struggling because of government funding cuts.

A study of more than 100 charities in England and Wales showed that two-thirds were cutting services.

Three out of four were making staff redundant and one in 10 said they risked closing down.

Little wonder that charities are keen to draft in more volunteers.

This week is Volunteers’ Week – a national celebration of volunteers, and an advertisement for the benefits it can bring all parties.

Cumbria Law Centre is a charity providing free legal advice for people who cannot afford a private solicitor. Stuart, of St Ann’s, Carlisle, started volunteering there last December.

Having worked as a chef for seven years, he needed a change of career after an accident left him unable to continue in that line of work.

“I decided to volunteer for two reasons,” he says. “The first was to gain experience in office work which I could then use to find a job. You need to get relevant experience and I didn’t have any.

“The second was because I have huge admiration for the Law Centre and wanted to play a small part in the organisation.”

Stuart works on reception, liaises with staff and outside agencies, and does admin.

He is also studying for an NVQ in business and administration. Five volunteers have so far achieved a qualification with the Law Centre. This can aid the journey into paid employment.

“I’ve been applying for office jobs but haven’t heard anything yet,” says Stuart. “I’m hoping once I get the NVQ it might help.

“Initially I was looking for experience but seeing the difference the Law Centre makes to people’s lives is very satisfying.

“You get all kinds of people that have all kinds of issues. We do get people who are quite desperate.

“To see them when they come in, really upset and frantic, then when they’re going out they look so much calmer.”

Cumbria CVS is a charity which helps voluntary and community groups across the county.

Its role includes matching groups with volunteers.

CVS estimates that more than 50,000 people volunteer in Cumbria, contributing 45,000 hours per week with a value of £28.5 million each year.

CVS’s current opportunities include helping at an art exhibition at Houghton Hall, presenting scientific experiments to children in an interactive mobile laboratory, welcoming visitors to Watchtree Nature Reserve in Great Orton and providing administration support to a local resource centre on Shaddongate in Carlisle.

Volunteers come from all walks of life. They include University of Cumbria student Louise Baxter.

Louise, 20, of Thursby, is studying to become a teacher. Throughout her three-year degree course, and on top of several jobs, she has found time to volunteer with numerous groups.

Some have been regular roles and some one-off days. They include Cub Scouts, nature reserve conservation groups and support groups for children.

“I don’t worry that I’m not being paid because the way I feel when I’m helping out is reward enough for me,” she says.

Louise volunteered at Wigton Cubs for five years. “I really enjoyed it. It allowed me to help the children to develop key skills such as cooking and building.”

In 2010 she registered as a volunteer with children’s charity Barnardo’s.

“One group was a multicultural group run by families. I would take Barnardo’s leaflets to promote the free facilities available to them at Sure Start centres, and talk with the parents and carers.

“This was a real confidence-boosting experience. It showed that the staff at Barnardo’s were able to rely on me.

“I am also a volunteer with Cumbria Wildlife Trust, where I have helped to repair and maintain public spaces. This is very tiring as it involves a lot of manual labour.

“But you can see your work at the end of the day and be proud of what you and the rest of the team have achieved.”

Louise feels volunteering has improved her communication and teamwork. It has also added to her formal qualifications, with a Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate.

“I hadn’t really thought of all my volunteer experience as something to put on my CV but when I came to write my first one I realised just how much volunteer work I have done.

“At my current job as a sales assistant, I am told that what helped me stand out was the amount of volunteer work I had done.

“I am due to graduate in July and I am hoping that all the experiences I have gained from volunteering will help me to secure my first teaching post.

“I would encourage anyone to get involved in some sort of volunteer work. It helps people in your community, and the experiences you gain are so rewarding.”

Caritas Care is a charity which provides hearing support for the elderly. More than 70 per cent of people over 70 have some degree of hearing loss.

Caritas is appealing for volunteers who can spare two or three hours a week. Members of the public can call in for free hearing advice at the charity’s centre on Cecil Street, Carlisle. Drop-in surgeries are also held each month in Cockermouth, Egremont, Keswick, Maryport, Whitehaven, Wigton, Workington, Appleby, Brampton, Alston and Kirkby Stephen. These are in places such as doctors’ surgeries, church halls and hospitals. Home visits can also be arranged.

The charity has supported 6,000 Cumbrians in the last two years.

It has four members of staff, only one of them full-time.

“We’ve got about 17 volunteers in Cumbria,” says manager Hugh Stirling. “They really are vital to the project. We couldn’t run it without them. We’ve got one chap who’s been coming one day every week for the last six years. That kind of support is fantastic. I can’t say enough about the work that the volunteers do.”

Volunteers are trained in making simple repairs to hearing aids and giving people advice on how to get the best out of their equipment.

“We check hearing aids are working and sort out any issues they may be having with the phone or the TV,” says Hugh. “Or it might be about social isolation, trying to encourage people to get back into coming out. A lot of people withdraw from society when they suffer hearing loss.

“We train the volunteers to be able to help with that and ensure people can get some support and understanding.”

Those who have benefited from Caritas’s volunteers include Carlisle pensioner Kenneth Steel.

He was referred to Caritas by the audiology department at the Cumberland Infirmary. The charity helped him get the best from his hearing aids and recommended a phone with a speaker, so he can use both ears to hear calls.

“I’ve never looked back,” says Kenneth. “I can talk to people and I can hear them, where before I couldn’t. It’s made a big difference to my life.”

These words apply to the many Cumbrians who have been helped by volunteers, and to the volunteers themselves.

If you would like to get involved in volunteering contact Cumbria CVS on 01228 512513 or visit www.cumbriacvs.org.uk

To contact Cumbria Law Centre call 01228 515129 or email reception@comlaw.co.uk

To contact Caritas Care call 01228 562691 or email hughstirling@ caritascare.org.uk

Cockermouth needs volunteers: page 18

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk