Crisis at Christmas Volunteering 2010

moomoo22_2

Hi there,

I have just registered to volunteer at one of the crisis open christmas centres this year.

As it is my first time, I was just wondering if anybody is volunteering this year or have any previous experiences they could share.

Thanks!

pommie_chick

It's the most amazing experience! I did it in 2002, when I was just going through my divorce and Christmas was going to be spent on my own. Volunteering to work at Crisis was the BEST thing I could have done. It certainly stopped me from feeling sorry for myself! Just go there with an open mind, and remember we’re all human beings, it’s not just “them” and “us” – more of us are “that” close to being homeless than we think, me included at that time. I had booked to do just Christmas Day and Boxing Day and ended up working all the days, working on the IT section, teaching clients how to use a computer. You will come away feeling that you have definitely made a difference to someone’s life, even if you only end up eating a Marmite sandwich for Christmas lunch and a client is complaining to you because they had to wait until 3 pm for their full Christmas meal! It will also make you treat homeless people on the street in a different way.

Enjoy the experience and good for you for doing it. :T

Errata

Good for you. Remember, everyone you will meet is someone's child, someone's parent, someone who was once a tiny baby but didn't get the breaks in life that you did. Enjoy.

Savvy_Sue

and accept the grateful thanks of those us working and volunteering in this field year round, who are glad to get a break at Christmas while knowing that there is some excellent provision out there!