Working with people who are far away from employment for many and varied reasons can be challenging. Volunteering can help them move forward in many ways both personally and professionally. North Warwickshire is an area of high employment and many of the users of the Job Centre are people with additional needs. Our Volunteer Coordinator for North Warwickshire, Ellen, delivers a pop-up session at the Job Centre on the first Tuesday of the month. This partnership with Job Centre staff has led to referrals at the pop-up sessions and also throughout the month.
Two men were referred to meet with our Ellen. One young man, M aged 24 came with his dad, he has Aspergers and said he wanted to get out of the house and do something useful. Another man A is in his 50s and in recent years he had lost his job and his wife had died. He has experienced depression and severe anxiety. He also needed to get out of the house and meet with people as he has become very isolated.
Following meetings with both men we talked about the sort of thing they would like to do and how they could gain from being volunteers. In addition to working in partnership with the Job Centre we work in partnership with Atherstone Town Community Football Club (ATCFC) and have recruited a number of volunteers for them. We got in touch with Gary Fox who is one of the leads in volunteer recruitment and specialises in supporting and including volunteers with additional needs. Gary arranged to meet both men separately and arrange for them to visit the club.
Both men have now started volunteering at ATCFC and this is going well.
‘A’ told us:
“Coming to the football club keeps myself busy and self motivated and
very happy to be part of a club that has welcomed me with open arms.”
While ‘M’ commented:
“The football club has been a great escape for me really enjoy the
people massive friends with Billy Roberts which has helped me settle in.”
Gary said:
