Why did you begin volunteering with ReachOut?
I knew I wanted to do some sort of volunteering with young people during my time at Uni, so I went to the University of Manchester Volunteering Fair to search for the right charity to volunteer with. I was immediately excited by the sound of ReachOut because mentoring is something I’ve always wanted to do. As a young teenager I had an amazing mentor who was a massively positive influence on my life. The opportunity to try one-to-one mentoring, along with the group work I am more used to, was too good to miss.
What effect do you think you had on your young person while volunteering with ReachOut?
The main thing I saw a big improvement in was her confidence. It became clear that having someone dedicating time every week to chat to her and help her with work was improving her self esteem, and enabling her to really open up and develop her work and personal qualities throughout the year. It was so encouraging to see her start to believe in herself.
How do you feel you developed while you volunteered with ReachOut and what skills did you gain?
ReachOut has helped me to develop my listening skills and ability to practise Good Judgement. The more I really listened and focused on my mentee the more I knew the best way to handle her when she was struggling or having a bad day. Being able to judge what the best course of action is, with individual mentees and whole groups, and carry out that action as quickly and efficiently as possible, is a skill I really developed throughout my time at ReachOut.
Has ReachOut changed your views or perspective on anything?
I don’t think it has necessarily changed my views on anything, rather it has confirmed my views. It has proven to me that spending just a few hours of your time each week, and giving those few hours your best efforts, can make a real difference in a young person’s life. You can be skeptical about the effect volunteers really have in the long term, but this year at ReachOut has really consolidated my view that dedicating time to the development of young people has the potential to be really beneficial for both them and the volunteer. I would say that ReachOut has changed my view of myself and what I am able to achieve, due to its fantastic support system and the confidence it places in every single one of its volunteers.
We're currently looking for more fantastic mentors like Catherine so if you or someone you know is interested, please visit http://www.reachoutuk.org/mentor/
