This week is #StudentVolunteeringWeek and here at Midland Mencap we’re celebrating the outstanding contribution of our 40-strong team of skilled and committed student volunteers.
As a Midlands-based charity, we are incredibly lucky to have some excellent higher education organisations right on our doorstep, including the University of Birmingham, Aston University, Newman University and Birmingham City University. Through their willingness to share and promote our voluntary opportunities, we have had the privilege of involving undergraduate and postgraduate students across a range of academic disciplines in a wide variety of voluntary roles.
Now, let me introduce you to some of these amazing student volunteers!
First meet Bethany:
A student at Newman University who is training to become a counsellor. Through her voluntary contribution as a Community Connections Volunteer, Bethany has given a Midland Mencap citizen the much-needed opportunity to get out and about in her community, have fun and do the things that make her happy. Whether it’s going bowling together, catching a bus into town or just hitting the shops, they always have a great time and Bethany has made a significant positive difference to that individual’s quality of life while also developing her own skills for her future career in counselling.
Next meet Simon:
A psychology student at Aston University and a qualified swimming teacher. With his excellent swimming skills, his calm and inclusive teaching style and his admirably responsible approach to volunteering, Simon is an absolutely fantastic Love to Swim Volunteer at our weekly swimming sessions for adults with learning disabilities. These sessions make such a positive difference to the participants’ health and wellbeing, and we are incredibly grateful to Simon for all his help and support.
And last – but definitely not least – meet Noureen:
A postgraduate student at the University of Birmingham who is currently studying for a Masters in Psychology. Noureen’s ambition is to work as an educational psychologist with children who have additional needs, and we feel very lucky that she has chosen to develop her skills and experience in this area by volunteering with the Midland Mencap Children and Young Persons’ team. By helping out as an Inclusive Play Volunteer at our weekly Tuesday Club, Noureen is making a brilliant contribution to the emotional and social development of the young people who attend by supporting them to socialise, have fun and try out new activities.
Thank you Bethany, Simon, Noureen and all of our other fabulous student volunteers – you guys rock!
If this blog has inspired you to volunteer with Midland Mencap (whether you’re a student or not!), you can find all of our current opportunities on the Do It website here.
-Hayley Stokes, Volunteer Coordinator-
On Sunday 3rd, Midland Mencap held their Weoley Winterland in their Enterprise Hub. It was an event for every one of all ages, from those at Mencap to their families and locals alike!
The festive stalls included arts & crafts, a tombola, a raffle, a cake sale, the fantastic Sing and Sign choir and Santa’s workshop – it’s safe to say there was plenty for everyone to do, no matter their age or interests.
I volunteered on the Arts & Crafts stall, making Christmas tree decorations out of painted lollipop sticks, pipe cleaners, pompoms and string. There were some impressive trees decorations crafted and it was great to meet people of all ages – from tiny children to the elderly and I was overjoyed by their enthusiasm. The eagerness of all the volunteers and staff in making the event a success was infectious. It was truly rewarding and I recommend volunteering at these events wholeheartedly.
With over 120 people attending and £402.63 raised for the charity, it was hugely successful and the atmosphere was wonderful. It really felt like Christmas had come and I’m looking forward to more events like this as it was an impressive turnout, a lot of fun and all for important causes!
– Kat, Reporter Volunteer –
One of the things I love most about our fabulous Midland Mencap volunteers is how ready and willing they are to ‘go above and beyond’ their regular volunteer role and help out at one-off special occasions and events as well.
This generosity of spirit was in evidence at our Sailing Day this summer when several of our enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers came along to Aldridge Sailing Club to help support adults with learning disabilities to have a fun day out on the water.
One of these volunteers was Claire Bayley: our brilliant Volunteer DJ who spins the decks every Thursday at the Midland Mencap disco night in Walsall. We already knew that Claire had awesome musical and DJ-ing skills but now, after the Sailing Day, we know that her skills in supporting people are pretty amazing too.
A lady called Jean had come along to take part in the Sailing Day. When she arrived, she was feeling very nervous and was reticent to get on a boat. Claire sat with Jean and chatted to her about how she was feeling, giving her as much reassurance as she could. Thanks to Claire’s support and encouragement, Jean finally felt able to face her fear and give sailing a go. Needless to say, she ended up having a great time out on the water – with Claire supporting her the whole time.
Thank you Claire! And thank you to all our volunteers who come to help out at events like these. You make such a massive difference, and we really couldn’t put on such fabulous events without you.
If you have been inspired by this month’s volunteering blog, you can find all of our current voluntary opportunities on the here.
-Hayley Stokes, Volunteer Coordinator-
Friends and family joined Midland Mencap staff, volunteers and members to celebrate The 4th Annual Sports Awards Evening.
2016 celebrated The Year of Participation, and with over 200 sports activities taken place over the year, participation seemed a fitting theme.
MP Richard Burden joined the evenings celebrations which saw Midland Mencap staff presenting players in various award categories.
“By encouraging involvement in a wide range of sports, Midland Mencap are putting inclusion into practice, building confidence and changing lives. It is also great to see real achievements recognised in the Sports Awards,” said Richard.
Winners at this year’s award include:
New member of the year – Salma Begum
Team of the year – Midland Mencap Development football team, players include Kath, Jo, Oliver, Nigel, Rob, Bryn, Jordan, Matthew & Jerome
Most improved athlete – Jordan Chandler
Most Improved athlete– Asim Latif
Sporting achievements – Nigel Smith
Sports personality – Jerome Browne
To find out more about getting involved with sports at Midland Mencap, either as a participant or volunteer, please contact The Sports Team on 0121-427-6404
Midland Mencap has always valued the amazing contribution from our fantastic volunteers but in 2015 we slightly changed the way we recruited and supported volunteers to make sure we and they were getting the most from their time with us. We are really pleased with the impact our new approach has had! We have welcomed 53 new volunteers into the team with so many skills and experiences who are now provided 100’s of hours of support.
From getting stuck in at one of our health and wellbeing activities to helping out behind the scenes with marketing and administration all the way up to providing one-to-one support and encouragement to a child or adult with a learning disability, there are so many ways that volunteers can get involved.
New volunteers are joining us all the time and their contribution is invaluable. In recognition of this and to show our appreciation, Midland Mencap holds regular ‘thank you’ events, providing opportunities for volunteers to relax and socialise (and – most importantly – to eat quite a lot of cake!). Glenn Pledger, who has been volunteering as a Front of House Volunteer since May, said, “I am delighted with Midland Mencap and the voluntary work that I have been given. The atmosphere here is amazing.”
Interested? Find out more about volunteering with Midland Mencap by visiting and searching for ‘Midland Mencap’ at https://do-it.org