All this week we are celebrating Volunteers’ Week! Volunteering really does make a difference to other people’s lives but it can also make a big difference to your own life. If you are visually impaired yourself, you may like to volunteer for VICTA and support children younger than yourself. It’s a great way to gain experience and get out there and help others. We are always looking for new volunteers to join our team and get involved.

Here we re-share an article written by Graham, a VICTA attendee turned volunteer, about his experience volunteering at VICTA Family Weekends.

Volunteering at the VICTA Family Weekend

By Graham Stearn

I was a volunteer for VICTA supporting young children who are blind or partially sighted together with family members on activities at one of their great Family Weekends. This took place at Dearne Valley Kingswood near Doncaster.

I have now volunteered on a few of these great weekends and have learned a lot from them. I enjoy spending time with the families and their children who attend the weekends. I especially enjoy meeting up with returning families and hearing about how their children have progressed after attending a VICTA Family Weekend.

Here are just a few activities that took place this weekend:

Archery
Climbing
Zip Wire
Canoeing
Raft Building
Problem Solving
Low Ropes/High Ropes

I have a visual impairment myself and didn’t really know much about VICTA until I was in my 20’s. It was at this point that I took part in several of their Youth Weekends and joined a couple of their international trips. VICTA has helped build my confidence to travel and venture all over. I will now quite happily attempt a new train journey, travel through London using assistance as well as local train journeys that I am familiar with. I even now feel confident to travel abroad using assistance at the airport.

Graham chatting and joking with the children in his group during a circus skills activity

Graham with the rest of the volunteer team in their ‘superhero’ themed fancy dress on party night

I enjoy taking part in all kinds of activities, so I though why not consider volunteering with VICTA and seeing what support I could offer to younger people with similar conditions to myself. After being a regular user of services from VICTA myself, I thought it was a good thing to do.

I look forward to helping and supporting more people and volunteering on many more VICTA events.

If you would like more information about volunteering for VICTA visit their volunteer area to find out how you can get involved! I really recommend it – you will be supporting others while having fun yourself. What’s not to like?

Visit the VICTA volunteer area and get involved

Written by Graham Stearn
VICTA Volunteer