Volunteer of the Month: November

We love this time of the month: when we get to shout about our amazing volunteers and the quite literally life changing work that they do to help Fresh Futures run smoothly and effectively.

This month we are giving a very special THANK YOU to Jordan Tyrell, who has been volunteering at the Pass It On charity shop in Heckmondwike for 6 months.

We caught up with Jordan to hear about his Fresh Futures Volunteering Journey so far…

  1. Name: Jordan Tyrell
  2. Tell us a little about yourself? My name is Jordan, I’m 18 and I have just finished studying for A-Levels in Maths, Physics and Design Technology.
  3. How long have you been volunteering for the charity? Almost 6 months
  4. Please explain your volunteering role in a nutshell: My role as a volunteer consists of working on the till and some work in the vintage warehouse where I help move newly donated furniture around and take pictures to list on the company’s eBay page.
  5. What made you want to start volunteering with YCC? I started volunteering with Fresh Futures for my Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award and I thought it would be the perfect place to start as the people are great.
  6. Tell us a little bit about your role: A typical day of volunteering for me would consist of some work on the till, pricing and uploading newly donated items on the company’s Facebook and eBay pages and helping in the vintage warehouse.
  7. And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with YCC? I highly recommend volunteering with Fresh Futures as it has been a great experience for me so far.

If you feel inspired to become a volunteer like Jordan, or if you would like to volunteer in any way for our charity, please contact Lucy on 01484 519988 or email [email protected]

Volunteer of the Month: October

We love this time of the month: when we get to shout about our amazing volunteers and the quite literally life changing work that they do to help Fresh Futures run smoothly and effectively.

This month we are giving a very special THANK YOU to Tracey Mcknight, who started volunteering over two years ago as a befriender!

We caught up with Tracey to hear about her Fresh Futures Volunteering Journey so far…

  1. Name: Tracey Mcknight
  2. Tell us a little about yourself? My journey with Community Connections started during the covid pandemic, I spotted an advertisement on social media for the role, but I wasn’t quite sure what qualifications I would need.  Well, I took the first step and soon came to realise the only qualifications needed are to be a good listener, have a good bit of chat, and most importantly have a whole lot of fun. 
  3. How long have you been volunteering for the charity? Over 2 years 
  4. Please explain your volunteering role in a nutshell: I was originally matched with two gentlemen, and we had weekly telephone calls as we couldn’t meet during the pandemic. This didn’t stop us enjoying our time together, I learned so much about Liverpool football club, we did quiz time and singalongs to some great old songs, and nattered about how things were when my gentlemen were growing up in the 1930’s.  Despite our age differences, we loved sharing our life stories together. 
  5. What made you want to start volunteering with YCC? Having elderly parents, I realised that there were many elderly or vulnerable people in our community who were feeling lonely.
  6. Tell us a little bit about your role: My role has developed and now I not only have telephone conversations with my community connection friends but I am able to see them face to face.  I have recently been matched to the most interesting and lovely lady who has so many stories to share about her cruises and ballroom dancing I love looking over the old photographs and reminiscing with her.
  7. And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with YCC? This is such a rewarding role, and I would highly recommend anyone who has a spare hour or so a week to give it a go! Putting a smile on someone’s face is priceless and just being that bridge between loneliness and having a feeling of companionship is really what it is all about! Just give it a go and make a difference!

If you feel inspired to become a volunteer like Tracey, or if you would like to volunteer in any way for our charity, please contact Lucy on 01484 519988 or email [email protected]

Volunteer of the Month: September

We love this time of the month: when we get to shout about our amazing volunteers and the quite literally life changing work that they do to help Fresh Futures run smoothly and effectively.

This month we are giving a very special THANK YOU to Amarah Younas, who started volunteering just over a year ago for Child Contact!

We caught up with Amarah to hear about her Fresh Futures Volunteering Journey so far…

  1. Name: Amarah Younas
  2. Tell us a little about yourself? Passionate, kind, and helpful is the type of person I am. I use the initiative and put in extra work to allow effectiveness is ensured. I work collaboratively within a team, as I can complete tasks and my role. I have a patient approach and calm manner which is important when dealing with challenging situations, especially at times within the Fresh Futures. 
  3. How long have you been volunteering for the charity? I have volunteered for 1 year and 1 month. 
  4. Please explain your volunteering role in a nutshell: As a volunteer, I help deliver a safe environment for children and families. This is delivered through weekly contact sessions, and supporting (sometimes through words of encouragement) the carers to positively develop the relationship with their children. 
  5. What made you want to start volunteering with YCC? During COVID-19, it was really difficult to see others not being with their loved ones, either by separation or by the passing of their loved one. After the COVID cases and isolation had reduced, I felt like I had to give something back to the community. Hence, I searched volunteering places, especially within a family setting, and came across Fresh Futures. I read more into what the organisation did and was intrigued. I wanted to be part of the support that helped individuals reunite with their loved ones. 
  6. Sum up a typical day of volunteering for you? A typical day at the contact centre entails going into 2 or 3 sessions of either supported, supervised, or MS Teams meeting (for new families starting the contact centre). Sometimes, depending on the case, I even go out in the community with the team supervisor and observe the contact between the children and their carers. By the end of the day, I assist in cleaning up the creche/contact room, in order for the rooms to be presentable for the next families. 
  7. And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with YCC? Do it! You will not regret it, it is a good challenge and you will learn many things that will increase your outer knowledge about other families, and how difficult some of their situations are. It is a rewarding experience, and you know what makes volunteering even better? It’s the team at YCC, they will always support and teach you. 

If you feel inspired to become a volunteer like Amarah, or if you would like to volunteer in any way for our charity, please contact Lucy on 01484 519988 or email [email protected]

Volunteer of the Month: August

It’s Volunteer of the Month time again at YCC! This month, the Community Connections team nominated Phil Clarke – a very worthy candidate.

Phil started volunteering at the start of the pandemic, as he recognised how lucky he was to have a partner and not be isolated during lockdown. Phil decided to take action and help others who were not as fortunate. He has since linked with, and continues to provide support, to not one but THREE isolated and lonely individuals.

Phil spoke to Lucy Martin about his experience volunteering during the Covid-19 struggle, and beyond…

  1. Name: Phil Clarke
  2. Tell us a little about yourself? I am 75 years of age, having fully retired 3 years ago after 50 years as a Social Worker/Manager. I live in the Holme Valley with my partner Sue, and have four adult children who live across the country. I enjoy gardening, attending gigs, walking, and supporting Oldham Athletic (enjoying is sometimes debatable).
  3. How long have you been volunteering for the charity? I started volunteering during the height of the pandemic, in 2020.
  4. Please explain your volunteering role in a nutshell: I became a telephone befriender to a man with serious health problems who was isolated and scared. Since then, I have also become a telephone friend to two people, a male and a female, both of whom for quite different reasons are somewhat isolated. I intend to begin a direct contact friendship with one of them when the necessary agreements are in place.
  5. What made you want to start volunteering with YCC? My initial reasons for volunteering were acknowledging during lockdown that I had a partner – and therefore company – and we could go out together walking etc. I felt that I was in a position to be around for folk who did not have this in their lives.
  6. Sum up a typical day of volunteering for you? I am not sure that there is a typical day of volunteering for me, I telephone perhaps twice a week or so and have an enjoyable chat with both my friends.
  7. And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with YCC? Get involved if you wish to, seek advice if uncertain and get to know and build a relationship with whomever you are friends with. It’s great!

If you feel inspired to become a volunteer like Phil, or if you would like to get involved, please email [email protected]

Volunteer of the Month: July

We love this time of the month: when we get to shout about our amazing volunteers and the quite literally life changing work that they do to help Fresh Futures run smoothly and effectively.

This month we are giving a very special THANK YOU to Diane David, who started volunteering earlier this year and has helped out across many of YCC’s departments since then!

We caught up with Diane to hear about her Fresh Futures Volunteering Journey so far…

  1. Name:  Diane David.
  2. Tell us a little about yourself? I’m a single mother in my 40’s. I initially came to Fresh Futures to begin some training around getting back to work, having been a stay at home mum for over a decade. Then the pandemic hit and I was introduced to the Hopeful Families programme. 
  3. How long have you been volunteering for the charity? I began volunteering in March this year, so it’s been around four months. 
  4. Please explain your volunteering role in a nutshell: In my volunteering role, I help out Jo with the weekly stay and play and spend time interacting with both the kids and their parents. I also helped out at recent Jubilee celebrations and generally anywhere I’m asked provided I have the time. 
  5. What made you want to start volunteering with YCC? Being on a programme here helped me massively during the isolation of the pandemic. I have a teenage daughter on the autism spectrum and so my life was somewhat isolated already. I was introduced to and given access to courses that I’ve used to gain knowledge and further my interests as well as mental health and well-being support for myself and my family. It was a no brainier to try to pay it forward for all the support I had received during some testing times.
  6. Sum up a typical day of volunteering for you? A typical day of volunteering would involve me arriving and greeting everyone whether I’ve met them before or not! I generally try to make the children and parents feel comfortable, it can be a little scary for new comers after the last couple of years of uncertainty and of course the children born at that time will have had little to no interaction with their peers. Same goes for parents, especially for first timers it can be a jarring experience and being isolated can have made what should have been a happy time, anxious and uncertain. I try to speak to everyone individually about anything and everything and hopefully Jo and I have made it so people want to come back which is the main goal. 
  7. And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with YCC? My advice would be, to give it a go! It’s really a very enlightening experience and led me to other things I probably wouldn’t have even considered before. I’ve met some amazing, like minded people, had fun and hope to continue doing so!
Diane (centre) pictured with several of the Children and Family Services Team

If you feel inspired to become a volunteer like Diane, or if you would like to volunteer in any way for our charity, please contact Lucy on 01484 519988 or email [email protected]

Volunteer of the Month: June

We love this time of the month: when we get to shout about our amazing volunteers and the quite literally life changing work that they do to help Fresh Futures run smoothly and effectively.

This month we are giving a very special THANK YOU to Luke Russell, who has been volunteering for Fresh Futures for a year and a half so far, as a telephone befriender.

We caught up with Luke to find out a little more about his volunteering journey.

  1. Name:  Luke Russell.
  2. Tell us a little about yourself? I live in Huddersfield and work for a manufacturing company in nearby Meltham. I spend most of my time on my main interests which are cooking (& eating!), reading, and attending live music events. 
  3. How long have you been volunteering for the charity? Just over 18 months. 
  4. Please explain your volunteering role in a nutshell: As a telephone befriender, I make weekly phone calls to some elderly individuals in the local community. After the first few calls of getting to know one another, these typically become nice informal chats to talk about anything which has been going on for them and myself recently, and anything else which might have been on their mind. 
  5. What made you want to start volunteering with YCC? I’d been wanting to take up a volunteering role for some time, but had struggled to commit myself to an opportunity. During the 2020 Covid lockdowns and the growing awareness of community loneliness, which was particularly acute in some groups including the elderly, I saw this role advertised in an email and felt I couldn’t help but commit some time to helping in any way.  
  6. Sum up a typical day of volunteering for you? The befriending role is great for someone like myself who works weekday office hours as I can easily fit the time into the sociable hours I have after finishing work. Typically, I’ll try to call straight after finishing my job for the benefit of my friends, and just have a natural conversation with them about what’s happened in the last week, and anything which they want to talk about from their lives – I planned my holiday in Scotland last summer around trips one of my contacts used to make and often tells me about – he has such fond memories of Arran we had to check it out! I’ll make the odd note during the call, and then once we’ve finished our conversation, update the volunteering app with the call details. 
  7. And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with YCC? The main thing is making sure you’re honest with yourself about what you can fit in and find an opportunity accordingly. The Telephone Befriending role really suits me with the time I am able to commit with work and other commitments, and building relationships overtime is very rewarding as someone who enjoys bouncing off people.  

If you feel inspired to become a telephone volunteer like Luke, or if you would like to volunteer in any way for our charity, please contact Lucy on 01484 519988 or email [email protected]

Volunteer of the Month: May

Beata is a qualified social worker, who – after moving to the UK from Poland – chose to volunteer with YCC’s Child Contact Services to get back into the social and education sectors, and to improve her English language skills.

We caught up with Beata in May, who told us a little more about herself, and her experience volunteering with Fresh Futures.

  1. Name: Beata Walkowicz
  2. Tell us a little about yourself: My name Beata. I’m 52 and I come from Poland. In my free time I read books and meet with my friends. My friends say I’m creative, funny, outgoing and curious about everything. My greatest joy is helping other people.
  3. Explain your volunteering role: Through my social work I have experience working with families who are experiencing problems and going through difficult times. I gained a lot of insight and understanding of all the various types of problems that families can experience, for example substance misuse, illness in the family or financial problems. I understand the stress that can put on people and families, and how much of a positive impact that services such as the Children’s Centre can have on families and children.
  4. What made you want to start volunteering with YCC? I like to volunteer to put my existing skills into practice as I am passionate about helping vulnerable people and those in need. It is my dream to get back to working in a role like this, and I see volunteering as the first step on my journey to achieving this. Also a key thing that I want to do in my volunteering is to improve my language skills by exposing myself to a different environment to my current workplace. I chose to apply to Fresh Futures because I love working with children. I am really interested in the type of support and services that the Children’s Centre provides and the families that they support. When I lived in my family home I also spent a lot of time looking after my niece and nephews and since moving to the UK that is something I have been missing as well.
  5. What advice would you give to people considering volunteering with YCC? Helping others is not only good for them and a good thing to do, it also makes us happier and healthier too. Giving also connects us to others, creating stronger communities and helping to build a happier society for everyone. And it’s not all about money – we can also give our time, ideas and energy.

THANK YOU BEATA – SO MUCH – FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE FOR YCC!

YCC’s Child Contact Centre is currently recruiting for more volunteers to help us deliver our services across the community. To learn more about the role, please check out our available volunteer positions on our website, or contact our Volunteer Development Officer directly on 07849 398829/01484 415465/ [email protected]

Volunteer of the Month: April

Laura is a truly special volunteer and very worthy of April’s Volunteer of the Month award, since she not only befriends one person, but several! In this month’s post, Laura tells us how volunteering benefits in different ways…

  1. Name: Laura Cumiskey 
  2. Tell us a little about yourself: I am a stay home mum (two children aged 8 & 4). I seem to be the one person friends and family come to for advice and help. 
  3. How long have you been volunteering for the charity? I have been volunteering for roughly 18 months or so for the befriending service. 
  4. Explain your volunteering role: My role includes phoning old and vulnerable residents for Fresh Futures. I have certainly made some good friendships while doing this role. 
  5. What made you want to start volunteering with YCC? I started volunteering after I broke up with my daughter’s dad. I was in a bad place and lost myself as a person. I wanted to turn my negative perspective into a positive one. And as much as it helped me, I also knew I was helping someone else at the same time.
  6. Sum up a typical day of volunteering for you? I usually do my phone calls in a morning after I have dropped my children off at school. I sit down with a cup of tea and usually make my first call around 10am (or whatever time suits me best). 
  7. And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with YCC? The advice I would give to someone thinking about volunteering is, “DO IT!!!”. It benefits in more ways than one!

If you would like to become a telephone or face-to-face befriender, or volunteer your time in any other way for our charity, please feel free to check out our available volunteer positions on our website, or contact our Volunteer Development Officer, Lucy Martin, directly on 07849 398829/01484 415465

Volunteer of the Month: March

We love recognising our volunteers! This month, our volunteer of the month was nominated by YCC’s Thriving Kirklees team. Gareth started volunteering for the team when he heard they needed a helping hand with their admin. Gareth jumped to the rescue and donated dozens of hours to facilitate the delivery of Safety Rangers! THANK YOU GARETH!!

See what Gareth had to say when we interviewed him, below:

Name: Gareth Morris

Tell us a little about yourself? I found out about volunteering whilst on the Hopeful Families service and put myself forward as a volunteer, to feel useful.

How long have you been volunteering for the charity? Around 6 months.

Explain your volunteering role: When the TK team do their Safety Rangers event, they have around 300 gift bags to hand to the children that attend. I organised each and every gift bag to make sure every single child would receive one during the event.

What made you want to start volunteering with YCC? I wanted to build my confidence with others, feel useful and have something positive to do.

And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with YCC? If you’re looking for something do then why not volunteer? I was very happy after volunteering because it was really appreciated and made a big difference whilst saving a few hours out of the day for the staff members so they could do everything else they have to do.

If you would like to volunteer in our Charity Shop, or dedicate your time to another of our services, please contact Lucy, YCC’s Volunteering Development Officer, on 07849 398829 or email [email protected].

Volunteer of the Month: February

It’s really important that we take the time to recognise our volunteers – as without them, the charity would not be able to help so many people across the community.

This month we are thanking Jason Scott, who has been supporting YCC’s charity shop, for over a decade! Here’s what Jason had to say about his time volunteering at Pass It On.

Name: Jason Scott.

Tell us a little about yourself? I am an avid Leeds United supporter and I also enjoy listening to music and watching DVDs. I enjoy all types of music and films including comedy, drama and thrillers.

How long have you been volunteering for the charity? I returned in December after Covid lockdowns etc., but prior to that I had volunteered for approximately 10 years.

Explain your volunteering role: I volunteer in the Pass It On shop in Heckmondwike 1 day each week.  I assist the team with the day to day running of the shop and help out in any way I can. I like to keep busy during my shift.

What made you want to start volunteering with YCC? I started volunteering with Pass It On through an occupational therapist – she suggested that this might help with my social skills and build my confidence.

Sum up a typical day of volunteering for you? I make sure any beds which have been sold are dismantled ready for delivery that week. I then build up more donated beds to replace these for sale. I make sure all the DVDs are topped up and in age range order. I help to make the shop presentable by arranging the layout and vacuuming the shop floor.

And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with YCC? I would advise anyone wanting to volunteer with Fresh Futures to give it a go, as they are a great bunch of people and you can work in a friendly atmosphere and  learn new skills in different roles available.

If you would like to volunteer in our Charity Shop, or dedicate your time to another of our services, please contact Lucy, YCC’s Volunteering Development Officer, on 07849 398829 or email [email protected].