"A Saturday well spent."
Early up and early out the door this morning, ready to go to Hengelo. Hengelo is the city where the training and introduction lesson will be held for my new volunteer job, the training started at 10:00 am. I left my apartment at 8:30 am, took the train from Almelo to Hengelo from 9:00 and arrived in Hengelo at 9:05. Then the bus from 9:27 towards 'Oude Bornese weg.' (A certain street in Hengelo) The bus driver took his time, lol, but I was nicely and perfectly on time. Half of the group was already in the building, and some were outside for a smoke. I went outside and introduced myself halfly. It felt a bit awkward cause most of the new volunteers have seen each other already last night, last night was the first introduction. I didn't go last night, being that late at night on the streets kept me from not going. I told my 'reason' from not going last night aswell to a few volunteers, they laughed and told me that they could have picked me up, cause they live in the same city as I do. Yeah well, if I only should have known that last night, right? The group of new volunteers were a nice bunch of people, mostly were all women, just one guy.
The guy was happy to see me, he told me. He felt alone among all these women, lol. We laughed. The whole training and introduction was interesting, I learned alot, some of the things I didn't even know off. There's alot I should know before I visit someone with little social contacts, it will sure be not easy, though I kinda thought it was. "Norms and values," and "Know your own limits." It's not like that I'm just gonna visit a person just like that, oh no! The volunteer visitors have to know a few things before visiting. That's why this training. The volunteer visits regularly the applicant. Volunteer and applicant discus with each other which activities they will undertake weekly or monthly. It is therefore important that both people have similar interests. The activities can be almost just anything, shopping together, walking, cycling, watching movies, fishing, visiting museums, drink a coffee, help with homework and perhaps give lessons. The visits are important for the applicant, just to get the applicant out of her or his social isolation, the applicant sees the visitor as a distraction.
The applicant tries to get a structure in her or his life, or social contacts, meeting people. What I learned this day is that it sure won't be easy to visit such people. These applicants have probably been trough alot, or suffering still from something what they went trough. You have to let "it" go when you leave thew applicant, shut it off. I will have to know my limits aswell, if the applicant ask me for money, I will have to say. "No." If the applicant ask me to go to do something for him what he doesn't dare, I will have to know my limits. Probably it's better to go with him then go alone, the applicant has to get out of his or her social isolation, not me. There are many, many examples more, or other (bad) situations I can sum up, but let's not. I will visit the applicant, I will be there for him or her for a certain time, but I have to think of myself aswell, (limits!) If there's a problem with the applicant what bothers me, doesn't matter what situation, if it bothers me I can always contact the coordinator of this project. And that's a good thing. After the introduction and training I had some light doubts...
But I'm going for it. I will just see how it goes and I will give a 100%, though when I feel that it's not really my thing I will quit. First of all I'm excited, it's a TOTALLY new thing I would like to try, I'm actually looking for social contacts still aswell, and here I am, visiting people with little social contacts, lol. A bit awkward, but I feel aswell that it can be good for me and aswell for the applicant.After the training I got offered a ride home, I took it. There were two ladies who live in my city aswell, friendly and nice women, the driver set me of almost by my front door. We all switched phone numbers and email adresses, we will see each other soon again, for the next meeting, once in six weeks we will meet again with our group volunteers. Just to see how things go and if there's something what bothers us we can tell it there then. All will be good, cheers to the new volunteer job!
