Case study 1: Diana

Diana, 49

Diana met Claire Roberts, the Volunteer Centre Salford Development worker, at START in Salford where Claire had been invited to talk about volunteering. This sparked Diana`s interest and she enquired further about volunteering opportunities. Claire met with Diana and found out more about her interests and what kind of tasks she would like to do as a volunteer. Diana explained that she had been referred to START in Salford as part of her recovery after a diagnosis of depression following the death of her father. During the dark times, Diana had been unable to leave her house due to anxiety and had become a prisoner in her own home.

START is a creative arts and wellbeing centre and has been really important to Diana as it offered access to creative therapy which helped her to start to focus on the next steps in her life which took the form of volunteering.

Diana informed Claire that she was interested in volunteering with older people and Claire told her about a new project which involved volunteering in care homes. Claire referred Diana to Siobhan Foley, the Volunteering Co-ordinator (Older People) at Salford CVS. Siobhan was co-ordinating the volunteers in care homes pilot project and arranged for Diana to attend the induction training at a local Residential and Nursing Home.

Diana volunteered once a week for 2 hours at the care home between July and October 2015. Diana assisted to provide social activities for elderly residents to help improve their wellbeing and quality of life, and she was able to share some of her creative skills with the residents. Diana received support and travel expenses throughout the project, and developed good working relationships with the Activities team, care home staff, and other volunteers involved in the project. Through volunteering Diana has made new contacts and friends who support her positivity.

Three months into volunteering Diana said:

“I feel much calmer, my panic attacks have reduced and my confidence is building. I feel like a different person, I didn’t think I had it in me. I wake up with a smile on my face now, I don’t lock myself away and I love talking to the older people and doing craft activities with them. I’m using skills I didn’t think I had. Six months ago I never thought I would be doing anything like this, I was in a dark place and I felt helpless, but now I might be 4ft 11 but I feel 6ft tall.

Towards the end of the project, Diana was invited for an interview at the care home as they had been impressed with her skills as a volunteer. They offered Diana a part-time job as an Activities Assistant. Diana was very pleased and proud of how far she had come on her journey of recovery, and all staff who have been involved with her are delighted at this very deserving outcome.

When Diana has time and when she settles down in her new job, she would like to volunteer for START in Salford to give something back to the organisation that started her on the road to recovery. Diana is proof of the importance of volunteering to improve mental health and wellbeing, and prospects and employability. By volunteering to make the difference to other people`s lives, Diana has ultimately made the difference to her own.