#BefriendingIs a way of giving back with Age UK North Yorkshire & Darlington
22nd October 2020
Maisie, who’s one of our fantastic befriending volunteers in Northallerton, sent the team at Age UK North Yorkshire & Darlington her experiences of being one of our Good Friends Volunteers.
Volunteering at Age UK has given me the opportunity to change people’s lives. It gives me the satisfaction of playing a role in someone else’s life and helping people who may not be able to help themselves. If I was to explain my role as a volunteer at Age UK I would say that it is a way of giving back to my community while developing important social skills and gaining confidence. Volunteering is a very precious part of my life and I would highly encourage anyone to take part. As a 17 year old volunteer my life is filled with positivity, inspiration and appreciation and I am proud to say that volunteering has resulted in this greatly.
From the age of 16 years old I have been a volunteer with Age UK and I will try my best to maintain this position and work for the rest of my life where possible. I have found that it is very rewarding and it has impacted my own life making me the person who I am today. I am very passionate in making a difference to my local community and being a volunteer allows me to succeed in this.
Being a volunteer has given me a range of skills, attributes and enriched my life. Not only does it help service users emotionally and socially it has allowed myself to gain experience and significant values. With the career path I’m leading to becoming a nurse, volunteering with Age UK has given me encouragement and benefits of taking this nursing role on. It has massively helped me with getting work experience and references. Volunteering is a huge factor that employers are looking for as it shows willingness and compassion, so having this type of work involved in your life really makes you stand out as a person.
If I was to look back in 10 years time and highlight any achievements and things that I have done that I am proud of, volunteering at Age UK would be one as I know that I have supported individuals, even if it is to keep them smiling everyday or just be that someone that they can talk to on a weekly basis.
By: Maisie, Good Friends Volunteer with Age UK
If you’re inspired by Maisie and would like to get involved visit: http://www.ageuknyd.org.uk/volunteer