Power of 5: case study #1

Name: Joe Moan

Age: 25

Organisation: RNIB

Background

At the age of fifteen, Joe was the first member of a weekly youth group for the visually impaired, and started volunteering at the group when he became eighteen.

Voluntary Role

On being asked what his volunteering involved, Joe mentioned his role as chaperone on outings with the youth group and a "sense of humour". It was only on being asked how often he volunteered, that the immensity of his volunteering commitment became clear and also the necessity of a "sense of humour". He runs a weekly art group and a craft group for visually impaired adults, helps with the youth group, and separate weekly outings, and is also the facilitator for the Blind School magazine. Superman or what?

Joe's sense of humour prevailed throughout the interview. He enjoys volunteering because he loves the banter and the flexibility of the tolerant management, going on to comment that he "love[s] delegation now", with a wry chuckle. He is glad of the opportunity to get out of the house, otherwise he'd "be sitting in the house watching telly".

The impact on Joe's life, of all his voluntary pursuits, continues to be a huge enjoyment in the "highly energised, laidback environment", a suitably paradoxical one for this enigmatic character! He urges people to contact him and come along as volunteers. He thinks that, if they make a regular commitment, they will gain something worthwhile from meeting a huge range of people with mental and physical challenges.

Volunteer experience in one word: Fantastic

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