Full Time Volunteering - Heidi's Story

Heidi Boyes, 23, from Cleveland, was a CSV Full Time Volunteer and placed at West London Day Centre, a homeless shelter in London. Her experience as a CSV volunteer helped her secure a full-time job as a trainee Keyworker for a homeless charity based in London.

Heidi says:

"I chose to volunteer with CSV after graduating with a degree in Anthropology, hoping to make a difference to a good project, and gain some valuable experience that would help me along the path towards a career in the charity sector working with vulnerable people. I have always been interested in the homeless, but never really knew much about this sector, or the actual causes of homelessness and it's long term effects. Luckilly I was placed in West London Day Centre, a day centre for rough sleepers and the previously homeless in the Westminster area, and was based here full time for 1 year with a fabulous team of 3 other volunteers.

My role was quite varied, we helped with basic needs such as serving food in the cantine, providing hot drinks, and ensuring towels were clean and dry each day for the rough sleepers to have showers, giving out clothing donations, and working closely with external agencies such as counsellers, podiatrists, NHS, and mental health organisations. We also did a lot of admin, manning the reception desk, looking after client's post and generally signposting between 70-90 rough sleepers per day to other specialist services which may be able to help them after the day centre had closed. Although some of these tasks may sound like small aids, they were a vital life line for the people that came into the centre each day, giving them structure and helping them to keep their dignity whilst on the streets. I learned that there could be many people passing you in the street that are homeless, but you would never actually know it. Many people use services such as the West London Day Centre daily, to keep clean, get some clean clothes, and store their luggage.

"I found myself being continually surprised, my views challenged, and inspired by people I met throughout the year."

Being at the centre, with the support of a lovely staff team providing supervision and being so inclusive of volunteers, taught me an invaluable amount not only about homelessness, but the sector itself. I visited other services, went on training, and learned about many issues such as mental health, drug and alcohol use, and health. I was supported by external organisations working with the day centre, who taught me alot about links between homelessness, mental health and physical health. I also learned that many of the pre-conceptions or stereotypes of the homeless can be very wrong, and I found myself being continually surprised, my views challenged, and inspired by people I met throughout the year. Living in London and working full time, with massive thanks to the day centre, meant that I became fully involved in the work, and this gave me the best platform I could have asked for to start applying for full time work.

Now I am working full time for a London based homeless charity as a trainee Keyworker. I now advise clients one on one in keywork sessions on issues such as drug and alcohol use, mental health, family and support networks, benefits, managing tenancies, and many other support needs. I work with external agencies such as the NHS and drug programmes, helping people into detox and rehab, and refer people to counselling services and psychiatric services if needed. Without my experience with CSV, I cannot see how I would have been able to find work in this sector, and also I would not have had such a fantastic eye-opening year.

I would recommend CSV to anyone and everyone!! Although it may sound cheesy, I really did have the best year of my life, with some lovely people who took alot of time investing in us as volunteers, and making the experience valuable, and transferrable. As well as having a lot of fun."