Isobel’s Story: Much more than just volunteering
06/02/2025
My name is Isobel, and I have been a Mental Health Support Volunteer at Manchester Mind since August 2022. My main role is offering support to attendees of our weekly support sessions, who are all experiencing difficult circumstances within their life and mental health. But my time with Manchester Mind has been so much more than that!
The people who attend our service are at the absolute core of what we do, and I am fairly confident that I have been able to build strong and positive community connections with and between the group by offering the opportunity to talk and also relating with my own experiences of anxiety. I have seen the real benefits of the support that people receive, and I am filled with pride as we contribute to helping people flourish over their time they are attending the sessions. What I like most about the sessions is that there is no pressure to talk about our struggles, of course we are there to help with this, but we have built a lovely community of people by sharing our common interests, skills, and personalities, to relieve the stress of our mental health, which may be very persistent for some when they are away from the group.
One particular skill that I have enjoyed bringing to the group is my love for crochet, I often bring my current project with me and am very happy to share this skill with those who are interested. I have found this artistic side to be great for helping people to open up, craft and colouring in opportunities are present in their dozens at this group, so people have a way of keeping their mind busy while talking about topics that they may find difficult. The room is mostly filled with laughter and chatting among people, as you pan around you can see the strong connections within the group as friendships are formed. One thing I find special about this group is that the people are from all different walks of life, and you find yourself sharing interests with people who you may not have ever thought twice about in a public space. It definitely shows the importance of community and how we really are all in this together.
I have seen growth within myself ten-fold since beginning my time volunteering here, I know more about mental health in a real life setting than I ever have, and it is definitely not something we as a society should shy away from.
One particular topic in mental health that I find important is the unique experiences of people when accessing support. It can often be difficult to put our thoughts into words, and just as difficult to access the appropriate support for our needs. But, after completing a certificate in British Sign Language (BSL), my attention was drawn to how this must be harder for Deaf individuals when their experience is often disregarded, and services may not be adapted to suit their unique needs. Therefore, I completed my undergraduate dissertation exploring the barriers to mental health access in Deaf communities and was very grateful to receive support from everybody at Manchester Mind throughout this process. I know that everyone here wants a more equitable mental health service for all, so I am looking forward to how we can drive this change in the future.
Finally, in May 2024, I completed the Manchester 10k to raise money for Manchester Mind and I raised £620 for the charity that means the most to me. Although I found the training difficult, I was driven by remembering everyone who I have supported and knew that this run would be nothing in comparison to the shared experiences of people in the group. The day of the run may have been a challenge but every step closer to the finish I felt nothing short of proud to be in my Manchester Mind vest.
Volunteering can be difficult, especially when you can feel the weight of what someone is going through. However, seeing the positive impact of the group on its attendees makes every difficult conversation absolutely worth it. I would always encourage people to volunteer in their spare time, it has provided me with so many lovely connections and conversations. As a small-town girl who moved to Manchester for university, my eyes have been completely opened to the huge differences we can all experience in life, different cultures, sexualities, religions, but I appreciate how we all have the chance to contribute something meaningful to our community. For that, I will forever be grateful for Manchester Mind and its lovely staff for allowing me to have this opportunity.
