Reach Out Merton Volunteer Blog Post

Reach Out Merton is a campaign to inspire the Merton community to reach out and give back by supporting local causes and charities through volunteering. They recently published a blog post about our Volunteer Mentor, Wendy Holmes. Below is the post; Wendy tells us about her experience of volunteering for Jigsaw4u. To see more of Reach Out Merton’s stories you can find them on Twitter @ReachOutMerton or follow this link https://medium.com/@reachoutmerton

 

Volunteer Mentor Wendy Holmes from Raynes Park, Merton

Many people in Merton have found meaningful ways to give back to our community and to make a difference through volunteering. We would like to shine the spotlight on their untold stories to inspire more to give time to volunteer!

Jigsaw4U is a local charity in Merton that helps vulnerable children, young people and families put the pieces of their lives back together again. Here is our Q&A session with one of Jigsaw4U’s volunteers, Wendy Holmes, who lives in Raynes Park.

Please introduce yourself and tell us where you are from.

My name is Wendy Holmes and I’m from Raynes Park.

Describe your volunteer role at Jigsaw4U.

I’m part of the Mentoring team, which supports year 6 children in their transition to Secondary School. The local Primary Schools identify children whom they might worry about, or who struggle with the move to Secondary School. I meet with a child once a week for an hour, after school. I help him with his reading and spelling, and then we do activities of his choice. At the moment he is ‘robot mad’! Now that Super Max, the junk model robot, is finished and safely transported home, he is raring to go with robot number 2!

Super Max, the junk model robot

What inspires you to volunteer?

I feel strongly that a lot of society’s problems would be solved, if all of our young people could reach their potential and feel good about themselves.

What do you enjoy most about volunteering at Jigsaw4U?

This is such a simple way of helping but at the same time can achieve such a lot. It’s great fun too. I secretly love junk modelling! I have a lot of fun getting to know the boy I’m mentoring.

Tell us how you fit volunteering in your day/week/month.

It’s not a big commitment. One hour at 3.15pm once a week during term times. The school is nearby.

Any tips or pearls of wisdom you can share with other potential volunteers in Merton?

Don’t feel that you need special skills or qualifications or a particular personality type. Just turning up and taking an interest in someone will make a big difference. The staff at Jigsaw4U will try to match you with the most suitable child and provide materials for you to use. You won’t be on your own!

A single thing that you most enjoy about living/working in Merton.

The opportunity to volunteer with an organisation like Jigsaw4U!