Growing up in the inner city in a single parent family could be tough; experiencing the suicides of three of his schoolmates from a tight school community further highlighted for Seb the suffering experienced by people he knew in those surroundings.
Seb wouldn’t change his past as it has made him the person he is today. Furthermore, he loves his community and hopes his volunteering will help him to improve the lives of the people around him.
Support with the day to day
“I work with the Community Rehabilitation Service as a mentor. I am matched with a client and work with them over a six month period to help them make connections again. I ask my client – what are you interested in? How can I help you get out and about?”
“We join in with walking groups and I help him use the bus service. It’s about supporting with day to day activities which is so important if someone is in a rut.”
There’s no greater feeling
Seb has received a lot of training to enable him (and the client he works with) to get the most out of his role. He’s also closely supervised so he can anticipate and manage any difficulties. He said: “Doing something selfless for others is incredibly powerful. There’s no greater feeling. It’s about doing that little bit extra that makes people feel valued and part of the community”.