Ross- Befriending scheme
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.”

Ahndi Gardiner Volunteering Matters Volunteer