Here’s a really encouraging story from one of our newest Job Clubs in Smethwick, Birmingham. Reminds us how volunteering can make a difference on all levels.
“At our first Job Club a man joined who had been made redundant and then suffered from mental health problems, we identified that becoming a volunteer would be useful to him to help with building his confidence, he duly started his voluntary work.
As he had been in banking I wanted to help him find voluntary work which would be related and challenging (but also not be critical if he was unable to do it for bad health reasons).
Anyway we decided together he would begin doing some small fundraising applications which meant we had to discuss the activities of the centre to decide what he might seek funds for.
One of these activities is our Community Pantomime (a lovely activity with loads of positive elements) and he went off to the local branch of Barclays.
He came back having secured the interest of the Manager to match fund ticket, refreshment and raffle sales and as we were doing three performances he gained the support of two other branches of Barclays! Fabulous.
Inspiring outcome I think and directly related to the development of the Job Club.”
Inspiring indeed!