Mind the Gap

Neighbours helping Neighbours

Patricia has been a member of the Rushey Green time bank in Catford for over a year. A Time Bank deals with an alternative currency - time; not money. For every hour you spend helping someone, you are entitled to an hour's help in return. It's about neighbours helping neighbours. Help can be in many forms - performing practical tasks, befriending someone, running errands, sharing food grown in the garden, for example.

‘A friend of mine was a member and told me all about it. I thought it sounded like a great idea, as I have skills that I thought could be useful to other people. Also I thought it would be a good way to get out of the house and meet people.’

So far Patricia has given her time to three people.

‘I have done some sewing and alterations for two members. I really enjoy sewing and it was nice to put my skill to use. I am also teaching basic computer skills to another member. I teach him for an hour a week. I’ve been teaching him for a few months now and he’s really improving. It’s been nice that I have made a real difference to him.’

Patricia has also used some of the time credits that she has accrued.

‘Recently I asked the time broker to find me a carpenter as the fence in my garden needed mending. It was great to have this done for me by people I knew would do a good job.’

Becoming a member of the time bank has been a really positive experience for Patricia and she feels that more people would benefit from giving their time and getting involved.

‘I have got so much out of the time bank. I’ve met lots of new people and recently my daughter and I went on a day trip to Hastings with the time bank. If people are sitting at home with nothing to do they should really think about what they can offer and get involved. Everyone has something they can do that would help someone else.’

Big Decisions

Sadiah is 17, and is taking a year out after school to help her decide what she would like to do. Her year out is enabling her to experience two very different careers, and providing her with great work experience. She currently works half the week in a lingerie shop in Knightsbridge, and for the rest of the week volunteers at St Hildas East Community Centre in Bethnal Green.

'I'm not really sure what I want to do but I am really enjoying my gap year. I decided to see what retail was like, and I was keen to get to know west London, which was why I took the job in Knightsbridge. It's going very well, although it's totally different to the work I do at St Hildas.'

Sadiha had heard about St Hildas, and got chatting to the co-ordinator of the Centre who suggested she give volunteering a try:

'St Hildas is a community centre for Asian women, clients can come in for classes like yoga, exercise and languages. I've been helping out on reception and doing some admin for them. I'm getting involved in lots of different projects and its great because I'm getting to try lots of things. I speak Bengali, which has been really useful on reception, I have to call up clients and check that they are coming in for classes. I've also been using it for outreach work, where I go to see clients and encourage them to get out of the house and come to the Centre. I really like getting to know the clients and chatting to them.'

Sadiha hasn't decided which career path she will follow, although she is considering social work, as she has enjoyed the outreach work:

'I'm still not totally sure about what to do, but I think that I will go back to college in the autumn and study for my A-levels. I'm loving my volunteering at St Hildas though. Every day is different and being one of the youngest volunteers there, everyone wants to talk to me and get to know me. It's made me realise that I am good at talking to people and helping them out.'

Unlocking the potential of tomorrow

Paul volunteers a great deal of his time teaching local kids, helping them with their school work, and working on improving their confidence and self-esteem. With the help of Africa Foundation Stone he has been able to set up classes in Walthamstow where he teaches local kids who feel they need a bit of extra help.

'We teach all ages of kids from primary school through to A-level, and we try to help with any subject. I really believe that all kids can pass exams and do well, it's often just a matter of improving their confidence and giving them a bit of extra time.'

Paul is a passionate advocate of the power of education and believes that he can help kids achieve their true potential:

'Education can really help keep kids occupied, and hopefully they will then be less likely to get involved in trouble. It also helps them develop greater aspirations of what they will be able to achieve.'

Paul used to work to part-time as a lecturer at the University of East London and as an analyst programmer, but has now given up the programming to concentrate his spare time on his volunteering.

'We don't charge the kids for their tuition and I don't get paid for doing it. I really enjoy meeting the kids, and seeing how far they can go. I get to go to a variety of places and meet people. Recently I spent two weeks helping kids a primary school in Dalston prepare for their SATS.
I also run classes for kids from my prayer group, and I run classes at a school in Leyton.'

'I have four kids of my own, and so I know how important it is to make sure that kids are helped to achieve their true potential. I give up a lot of time but it isn't a hassle, I really enjoy it and get so much satisfaction from seeing the kids do well.'

Valuable Experience

Marie is 28, and volunteers for The African Foundation for Development (AFFORD). This is an organisation that supports the African diaspora's contribution to African development. Marie originally became involved with AFFORD whilst studying for her degree:

'I was studying for my degree in Development Studies and as part of this I did a six month work placement at AFFORD. I really enjoyed it, and it really helped with my studies. So when I finished my degree I thought that I would go back to AFFORD to get more experience.'

Marie is volunteering full time at AFFORD and is helping to put together a directory of African UK-based organisations, and also their newsletter:

'I'm really enjoying putting together the newsletter. I get to speak to lots of different people and interview them about what they are doing. I'm getting to do stuff that I've never done before.'

Marie is thinking of going back to study further but is going to stay involved with AFFORD:

'I want to go back and study for a Masters, but I'm going to stay at AFFORD until then so that I can carry on getting experience. I've really enjoyed my time at AFFORD and would recommend volunteering to anyone trying to start a career.'.

Getting involved really pays off

Joyce is the community development worker for the Pepys Community Forum in Deptford. She is employed to work with the local community, to help them tackle local issues and ensure that they are part of making decisions about where they live.

'I've been doing this job for over two years now, and I love it. I know everyone on the estate and I know that I'm helping to change the estate for the better. But I wouldn't have got the job without the experience I gained volunteering.'

'Initially I volunteered as a tenants' rep for our estate. This meant that I actually worked with the Council to look at Hampshire-wide housing issues. The tenants' rep position led me to get involved with lots of other things going on locally. I helped to set up a carnival, a black heritage group, an equal opportunities group and also a witness support scheme. This scheme had a real impact on the estate. We trained volunteers to take witness statements, use video surveillance and liase with the police to help victims of crime. This really helped people feel safer where they lived.'

Joyce's volunteering really gave her the opportunity to learn new skills and to develop confidence:

'The Council were very supportive of me as a volunteer and I received a lot of training. I gained experience in public speaking, attending council committees, influencing local policy and decision making. I gained more confidence and felt that I could speak with authority on local issues. I didn't go to University, and I didn't have any formal qualifications but my volunteering meant that I developed key work skills. I wouldn't have been able to get my current job without this experience.'

Six years after she started volunteering Joyce moved from Southampton to Deptford, and applied for her current role:

'My role is only funded for another six months, but I'm confident that I will be able to get another job. I'm now managing volunteers and helping them get work experience so that they can get on like I did.'

On the way to a job

June (35) started volunteering to gain some paid work experience. She has four kids and is not working at the moment, but would like to get a job:

'I had a ten-week placement at a local doctor's surgery to train as a receptionist. The training was useful, and I enjoyed reception work, but they weren't very helpful after my placement ended and didn't help me find a paid position.'

June decided that she needed to get more experience on her CV:

'I am involved with the management committee on the Pepys Estate where I live, and through this I got to know Joyce, the community worker on the project. I asked her if I could shadow her to get more work experience.'

June has now been shadowing Joyce for a while and offers as much time as she can every week:

'I help Joyce out with whatever she needs doing. Generally it's admin but lately I have been helping to organise a two-day event, which has increased my skills and I really enjoy it. I'm getting to meet loads of different people, trying lots of new things and I am helping to ensure the best decisions are made for our estate. I think that giving my time has been brilliant experience for me, I'm really hoping that it will lead to paid work.'

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