Mary is an unemployed single parent in her forties.
As her confidence and self-esteem deteriorated, Mary began to feel more and more socially isolated. Mary felt she wanted to do something to change her situation but wasn’t sure where to begin.
On Mary’s usual route to the shops one day she passed the Volunteer Centre and stopped to read information on one of the windows. She then summoned up the courage to walk into the centre and have a chat with someone.
Mary was referred to the First Step Employability project where she was offered support and guidance to prepare her for a volunteering role. Within 2 weeks Mary was working as a reception volunteer at underCOVER, and really enjoying meeting new people as well as learning new skills such as working the computer, answering incoming telephone calls, and making calendar appointments for staff members.
Mary comments
"It’s wonderful! I know so many more people now, and more of my friends and neighbours know about the underCOVER building now because I tell them!I love having a sense of purpose again, exercising new IT and people skills. Compared to before, I feel so confident and motivated and feel that I now belong somewhere.
Best of all I was offered a part-time cleaning job in the building! Had I not had the experience of volunteering, I would never have had the confidence to take it. It has opened my eyes to possibilities now,
I think the choices were always there for me, but before I just couldn’t see them."