How volunteering helped me come out of my shell
Volunteering helped Rachel with her confidence and outlook on life
I have been volunteering at the Skipton shop since October 2019. I didn’t know what to do with myself after finishing school, I originally went to college to study media, but it wasn’t right for me. I’ve never been one to sit in a classroom, so volunteering with Mind has been brilliant.
My mum and sister both suffer from depression, so I have been around mental health problems my whole life.
Now I want to work in mental health and help more people, so they don’t have to suffer like my family and I have.
Sadly we lost our auntie last year to suicide which has been extremely difficult for our family. The Skipton Mind shop has really been somewhere I can go where I can breathe, it’s amazing to have somewhere to go where people understand. I chose to volunteer with Mind, because I wanted to do something to help people. Now I want to work in mental health and help more people, so they don’t have to suffer like my family and I have.
My confidence has totally increased since I’ve been volunteering. I wouldn’t have been able to do this story without Mind.
When I first started I was so nervous, I wouldn’t talk to anyone, but I overcame it and I’m a lot more positive now. It feels great to work and connect with people who have their own experiences of mental health. It’s really helped to share my experience with the team, and learn about their experiences too.
Since the coronavirus outbreak, things have been quite difficult. But going out for walks and being in nature has really helped us all.
I’m really looking forward to getting back to the team. They are so much fun. I love it there. I’ve made a load of new friends, our shop manager Monica is amazing, she can make me smile on my bad days.
We always have fun music playing in the shop like Dolly Parton 9-5, we all love to groove!
Volunteering with Mind is the best thing I’ve ever done. It’s just brilliant.
When I first started volunteering, I was mainly tagging clothes out the back with Monica. She really brought me out of my shell, now I love serving customers, we have lots of great regular customers.
I love Mind, I love the charity and the work they do. I always have. To anyone who is thinking of volunteering, I say go for it.
Volunteering with Mind is the best thing I’ve ever done. It’s just brilliant.
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