Why Volunteering Matters in Scotland

Ross Thomson – Volunteer Manager at Volunteering Matters

Volunteering Matters to the young person who is socially isolated, vulnerable, and alienated by peers and family – victimised by their own circumstance and never given a chance. Volunteering Matters to the family with a child who has a life-limiting illness – under too much pressure, stress and emotional turmoil to keep up with everyday tasks. Volunteering Matters to the lonely elderly, to the local communities, and to the environment. I am Volunteer Manager at Volunteering Matters’ North Lanarkshire Befriending Project, and I am moved by the difference volunteers make.

Take, for example, Ahndi Gardiner, who has volunteered now for 10 years with the project. He says:

“I take the young person out for a couple of hours…we find suitable activities that give the young person the opportunity to enjoy something they might never have had the chance to do before. Volunteer befriending offers a small window into the world of the young person. A lot of things can be going on in their lives, much of which you have no real control over, but the time you spend with them can make a real difference.”

I am inspired every day by the work our volunteers do to support some of the most vulnerable and victimised young people in the local area.

“A lot of things can be going on in their lives, much of which you have no real control over, but the time you spend with them can make a real difference.”