Chris' story
Chris has always held to the maxim that ‘if you don’t use it, you lose it’, so when he reached retirement 15 years ago, he began volunteering. Over the years he’s spoken to over 5,000 carers.
In the time since I’ve been making calls, I’ve arranged helpline callbacks for about 400 carers. About 50 of these were people in a desperate situation and weren’t sure they could carry on caring. I’m proud to have played a part in getting carers the support they need.
Carers tend to get on with things without asking for help. I spoke to one lady who started our call saying she was ok and didn’t need any help. She went on to mention she had cancer and was caring for two people! I gently suggested she could do with some support.
I would most definitely recommend volunteering for Carers First. They’ve always respected my experience and allowed me to share my ideas to improve processes. They also make me feel very valued - I visited the Head office a couple of years ago and they made me feel like a celebrity. Everyone seemed to know who I was and thanked me.
Ariel's story
Ariel is one of our Check-in and Chat Volunteers. He’s made hundreds of calls to carers asking how they’re doing and seeing if they need help.
I’m studying for my degree and wanted to get some volunteer experience. I was unsure about the role at first because I’m not the most confident person and was worried about calling strangers. However, Jenny (his Volunteer Coordinator) has encouraged and supported me every step of the way.
My sense is that carers tend to get on with things and don’t always ask for help. It’s really rewarding to think I might have helped someone just by asking how they are and encouraging them to contact Carers First for support.
It has been sobering at times hearing how tough some people’s lives are and has made me appreciate my life more. I would recommend volunteering with Carers First. They are really supportive and it makes you feel like you’re doing good.