Volunteer Work

[Scooterham]

Just finished a training course for telephone support for a mental health charity and all is going well. Quite often in the past at group training and learning has not been the easiest as due to anxiety have been able to take less in but this has gone much better and even was putting my hand up to answer roleplay scenarios before i had thought what i was about to say.
Today i had my first day 'live' so to say and although was unsure what was coming taking calls and alot of procedures to follow, it seemed to go well and guess just had the anxiety which everyone else gets when doing a new job.

scooterham the happybunny

[cavycrazy]

Well done!!!

[Hoople]

I'm impressed Scoot . I think it'll be a really rewarding job for you.

I considered The Samaritans a while back but decided against due to having to do a regular nightshift. I was also interviewed for ChildHelpLine, but didn't get the job due to saying I was taking Antideps I think, heh.

Good on ya

[Scooterham]

Thanks Cavy!

Thanks Hoople! Sorry to hear possible reason about childline reason but glad to see how well your doing and thw work thing is admireable. Just goes to show the hard work is worth it. Hope to see u at MeetMasterMust's new MasterMeet!!

also Thanks JellyBean!

I know I could never no anything like that, I would be a total wreck!

Have you found helping people is helping you as well?

Jelly Beans (formerly 100s1000s)

In reply to quote above, I'd say never say never.......i thought i'd maybe never be as well as i am today and still have 'my moments' but try to take everyday as it comes and not look too far ahead, each time trying to set myself mini-goals. I did feel that i would possibly never be able too also having spent a six month spell on a Pward, 2 'Break-thru's (some say breakdowns) and too say the least ' a goodfew whopping panic attacks or time but i can say that with persistance and some therapy over time anything is possible.
I guess i am trying to give back a bit for the help and support that i have received along my 'journey' and also feel that it defo helps me also helping others not forgeting that the personal achievement of achieving a goal will be satisfying as well. So i'd never have felt i'd be on the phone lines now but the goals in between have defo helped me to this stage. Afew smaller goals and who knows!!!!!


scoot

[gem_star]

Brilliant! And such a worthwhile cause too!

Thats wonderful news! Glad to hear everything went well during the training!

[Scooterham]

Thanks gem_star and also

Thanks miss.jo

Hi, i've also just trained as a samaritan, i find that i put on my samaritan 'role' and forget my own worries and problems while i am helping others. I feel that we should all support each other and that being anxious and having had depression has helped me to empathise, especially with self harm, as lots of the sams ive worked with can't understand why someone would do that.

I defineately feel better about myself too, i feel my experiences haven't been a waste of time, and it helps my self esteem.

Although i do have trouble mastering the anxiety about answering the phone, somehow it is easier knowing the person on the other end is more distressed than me, and it is my job to reassure them.

Good luck, im sure it'l help you.

[black_mamba]

Originally Posted by Maxie

I found by helping and supporting other people my own self confidence really increased and hopefully so will yours.

I got that feeling too, although my volunteering wasn't strictly about helping others it felt great to shift the focus from me to them.

To all those a bit scared to commit to long term volunteering, you can do one-off day events. Also I'll be organising some science workshops for the upcoming academic year and will be needing helpers *hint hint*

[Scooterham]

Originally Posted by Maxie

I was a samaritan for a couple of years and know only too well about the anxiety of roleplay and group learning as well as the sense of achievement of actually finishing the training. An unexpected side effect was that I found by helping and supporting other people my own self confidence really increased and hopefully so will yours. Well done!

Last time i did any training, my anxiety was interefering in taking in the information even outside to talking point. This reduced anxiety now helped to take in and really felt hardly any, well not to affect my prfoemance, so guess just that in itself shows a big shift and certainately a big gap relatively to last time. Yes totally my confidence has improved and have done extra shifts as enjoy it.

Strange thing is after doing extra shift's my cofidence is defo higher than my experience..........not my ability as maybe was before..........and see my ability inceasing along with experience.
Thanks for words of wisdom