Last week was Volunteers’ Week – an opportunity for us to say a big thank you to all our wonderful volunteers!
Our Volunteer Social Prescribers, Telephone Befrienders and Trustees make such a huge contribution to the work we do as an organisation.
Without their efforts, it would not be possible for us to offer the all round support which we do to our Service Users, a support which makes a massive difference for many people.
One of our Volunteer Social Prescribers, Karen, recently provided some feedback to Community Works on her experience of volunteering with SIS:
How did you get into volunteering?
I joined Sussex Interpreting Services as a social prescribing volunteer about 18 months ago. I wanted to help those who could only speak my language when they move to the UK. I also believe that getting involved in volunteering work can help me to have a better understanding of and integration into the community where I am.
What sort of things do you do?
I have been matched with around 10 service users so far. Most of their queries could be solved in a short time, while some can take several months or even over a year. I help by translating letters, booking GP appointments, or navigating different kinds of public services like the DWP.
Why is volunteering important to you?
Not only are the service users feeling grateful, but also these were rewarding experiences to me. I know more about how different departments work or what local services are available. Most important is when service users share their stories and the struggles that they had been facing; these are valuable interactions between humans. People feel they are cared for and get peace of mind as they could always ask for help from SIS.
This was also included on the Community Works website alongside other inspiring volunteer stories from across Sussex.
Last Wednesday we held a Celebration event at Community Base at which we were able to catch up with some of our amazing volunteers. It was really great to be able to show our appreciation, and a good time was had by all!
Thank you once again to all our volunteers!
