Power of 5 Case Study #4

Name: Dianne Dominique Theakstone

Age: 23 years

 Organisation: Samaritans provide emotional support to those who are in distress or despair.

My role involves practicing good listening skills and responding to phone calls, emails and more recently texts. People can also drop in to the local branch centres if they wish to talk to a Samaritan face-to-face.

Guide Dogs for the Blind Association: provide guide dogs, rehabilitation and other mobility services for people with a visual impairment across Britain. Their vision is to create a world in which all people who are blind and partially-sighted enjoy the same rights, opportunities and independence as everyone else. I’m a public speaker for the Guide Dogs which involves giving talks to different groups, clubs and companies who want to learn about the organisation or who are looking to become sponsors. I also participate in various fundraising events ranging from can collection at supermarkets to cycle rides.

Voluntary Role: What did you do? Why did you do it?

I began training as a Samaritan in October 2005. I wanted to gain experience of working in an person-centred environment and learn new skills which can hopefully be transferred into my future career ventures. I was drawn to the Samaritans because of the very person-centred nature of its service, its emphasis upon supporting each other, its ethos to overcome communicational barriers and the flexibility of the shifts.

Future: Are you planning to get involved in more voluntary work? Will you be looking for a job which is similar to the work in your volunteering experience?

I don’t have plans to take on any other volunteer work but I know that the good listening skills I have learnt through the samaratans will be especially beneficial in a future job. My ambition is to finish my MSC Post Graduate Diploma in Housing Studies at the end of September and hopefully embark upon a career which embraces a person-centred approach. Whether I end up in the field of research, project development, working for a Housing Association or doing something completely different remains to be seen. I know that I will continue my volunteer work with the Guide Dog Association and with Samaratans as it gives me a lot of enjoyment and rewarding experiences.

Sum up your Volunteering Experience in one word:

Tumultuous

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