Name: John Caldicott
Charity Group: OPAL – East Dunbartonshire Information Line
How long volunteering? 2 years with OPAL and 16 years with others
Why begin volunteering? I have previously volunteered with other groups but fancied a new challenge, to meet new people and most importantly stay active.
Enjoyed most: Helping vulnerable people; dealing with challenging situations that are new for me; meeting/working with new people, at OPAL and partners.
Personal Benefits: Keeping my mind active, meeting new people and friends, exploring new interests.
Stories: I have come across many challenging situations where people are struggling with a variety of issues. Often I can provide encouragement and arrange practical support: this is a very rewarding feeling.
Recommend volunteering? Yes – both in general but particularly with OPAL. I would especially recommend it to people who are about to retire and to individuals who are in-between employment, or looking to enhance their skills whilst learn new ones.
Advice to anyone thinking about volunteering? Try it! It is low risk and if you don’t enjoy that particular role or even the charity itself, try something else. Don’t take on too much at first, and sometimes short amounts of time with different tasks or groups within a week is more advantageous.
Anything else to add? Volunteering is an excellent way to receive training and develop new skills, whether you are young or old. You meet new people, make new friends and find new experiences, and it certainly beats sitting at home and watching day time TV!
Contact the Team at OPAL for more information on our volunteering roles: 0141 438 2347 or mail@opaleastdun.org.uk
