I knew what I could offer as a volunteer – but never realised what I’d get

“I knew what I could offer as a volunteer – but never realised what I’d get

I have now officially reached retirement age, but I was forced to retire many years ago due to my ill health. I had two adult daughters who were supportive but were pursuing their own lives and I felt lonely.

I had loved being a teacher and was passionate about supporting my students to succeed. But it felt that my days of making a difference to anyone’s life was over.

I still had skills and other things to offer

But how my life has changed. I became a special guardian to my great nephew who has additional needs and caring for him brought big changes to my life, some more challenging than others. I began to realise that I still had skills and other things to offer. And it was this feeling that led me to start my volunteering journey.

I now volunteer, in different roles, for nine organisations and after I had been with Age UK for 10 years of volunteering, I actually won a carers award.

I cannot take on roles that are too physical due to my various health conditions, but I provide support in many ways. I am a befriender and drive elderly and disabled people to appointments they might not have felt able to attend.

I use my lived experience as a kinship carer to volunteer

I also use my lived experience as a kinship carer to volunteer for charities like Family Rights Group to champion positive change for families involved in the childcare system. This role has enabled me to interact with government officials to try to make a changes in policies and proceedings, and hopefully the very laws of our country.

However much I help those I volunteer to assist, I’ve realised that I have benefited even more. Volunteering keeps me busy and active. It has made me more empathetic and community minded and gives me real joy seeing the difference I am making by helping others.

I so enjoy giving back to society and supporting families in need. But recognise the mental and emotional benefit I have received from my roles.

Volunteering lifts me up

Don’t get me wrong, there are days when I don’t feel my best. In the past I would have felt sorry for myself which is natural but now I try to reflect on how volunteering lifts me up to see the good in the world that surrounds me.

Volunteering helps me to reconnect with myself and in doing so positively connects me with others. I am always learning new skills and meeting different situations and challenges. And because of the vast difference between the organisations I support, my interactions are always interesting.

On volunteering week, I would really encourage you to think of me, whose initial motivation to volunteer was an attempt to keep myself busy. But, like so many other volunteers, it’s now about cherishing the difference my efforts have made to the people that I give my time and the positive experiences they have brought into my life.

When I was physically well and was working full time, I earnt a good salary and thought I was really living but I wasn’t living at all. But my life appeared to disappear when I became ill for so long and I felt that I had become invisible.

Now I spend my time helping others I genuinely feel confident again and realise, for me, a salary does not compare to regaining my feeling of being seen.”

– Adelaide Lyons, kinship carers’ panel member