Volunteer Mike’s story

I have volunteered with young people since 2010 and am now a Volunteer Mentor for Eikon at Kings College, Guildford.

“What motivates me to volunteer is a combination of seeing the need for one-to-one support and the great feeling you get from making a difference. Kings College is on the edge of an area of deprivation in a wealthy county. Young people are trapped in a cycle of tough lives and low aspirations, none of which is their fault. Giving these young people hope of a better life, a belief they can achieve it and the tools to make it happen is immensely rewarding. You can see them grow in front of you in just a few weeks.

“As an example, I was mentoring a young man with low self-confidence. He wanted to do a car maintenance course at college but didn’t know whether this was available at his local college. I remember when I suggested calling them his face went white at the idea of speaking to someone he didn’t know over the phone. So we worked on it. I had him script the questions he wanted to ask. We found two people he liked and trusted (one male and one female) and I had him visualise that person on the other end of the phone. We rehearsed the call. He did really well and got all the information he needed, but more important was the look of pride on his face afterwards, when he realised that he had managed it. He will now be able to handle this sort of challenge by himself in future. I went home on a high too!

“To anyone thinking of volunteering I’d say, ‘do it’. It may seem scary, but you get all the training and support you need to be successful. You will be surprised at what a difference you can make. Then prepare to feel great!”