Thought of the Day

As most of you are aware Valleys Steps are a charity, and I like a lot of people have benefited from completing their Stress Control and Mindfulness courses. I, like most deal with stresses on a daily basis, however, using meditation and considering my actions have made me a better Mum, wife and working professional, as I am sure my family and colleagues would agree.

It?s true, most people volunteer for a reason, be it building your CV or gaining work experience, but mine is gratitude. I am grateful for the help and support Valleys Steps given to me when I needed it the most. I decided I wanted to give something back to Valleys Steps for helping me so much and thought Volunteering was the way to go. I volunteer for a few hours a week, contributing as a welcoming face to participants attending Stress Control and Mindfulness courses. I know how daunting it can be to walk through the door for the first time by yourself. So now I work hard to ensure everyone feels welcome and less apprehensive on arrival each week. I can honestly say that volunteering has had a very positive effect on my own wellbeing, and of course I get to do the courses again and again.

I have been a volunteer for two years and am now Lead Volunteer sitting on Valleys Steps Forum, where I get the opportunity to be part of building the charities reputation through suggesting of how to build and develop the charity and contributing to the marketing of the charity.  I have regular training and am supported by the Practitioners, the Volunteer Co-ordinator, the office staff, as well as the charities board of governors. Two hours a week is a small time and I consider this time for myself, time where I can appreciate how fortunate I am and how far my wellbeing has come in the last two years.

Smaller charities like Valleys Steps would struggle to deliver their courses without the help of volunteers. With less than ten staff members, five being course practitioners delivering courses covering RCT, Merthyr and now the Bridgend borough, this would be an impossible task.

So why not give it a go, you may love it as much as I do?