Greenlight encourage volunteering

They provide real and meaningful work and employment experiences to enable people with a learning disability to enhance and develop their self-confidence, skills and talents through new opportunities, responsibilities, and training for work and life, in a creative team and community environment. To be able to do this they need volunteers, currently they have 10 regular volunteer who collectively volunteer 114 hours each week that’s 336 hours per month!

Greenlight recognises the selfless work of their volunteers. Tanya Stirling, Volunteer Coordinator said: “Their commitment adds great value to our trainees.  Not only does it enable our trainees to have extra support it also gives them the opportunity to work at their pace in a guided, supportive environment.  Volunteers not only bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to Greenlight they also bring kindness and laughter which coupled with our trainees makes us smile each and every day.”

They have 2 roles on offer at the minute:

Garden Centre Volunteer - This role would involve helping members maintain the garden centre through plotting, planting, weeding and watering. The area requires ongoing upkeep and maintenance work, like painting, repairs and washing. So we need someone who has a passion for horticulture, loves working outdoors and who can work with people. This role is flexible Monday-Saturday.

Group Volunteer - This role would involve helping members participate in social activities or if you have a talent, interest or skill that you would like to share for example, playing music, board games, crafts or ICT. You need to be a friendly, trustworthy, and patient person, with an awareness of learning disabilities. Your role will be to help set up the activity and clear away, help to smoothly run the group and to encourage members to participate in any activities. This role would be 4 hours per week.

One volunteer explained: “Since I have volunteered at Greenlight I have laughed so much, I have also met new friends and learned new skills.  I was shy when I came here and didn’t like to speak to people that I didn’t know but since I have volunteered with Greenlight I have felt more confident.  I have actually spoken in front of a group which I would never have done before.  I love how positive volunteering makes me feel.”

If you want to get involved with this lovely organisation please get in touch, Causeway Volunteer Centre, 028 703 58285, [email protected].