Matt’s story: “Knowing you’ve helped people is really rewarding"

In that time, Ross has trained Matt in many areas of the job and they’ve become a highly effective team.

Matt, 23, is now confident at dealing with everything from carrying out mental health & wellbeing assessments to doing home visits.

“I can talk to people about their mental health and personal situations, advise them on the help that’s out there, offer some benefits advice and generally provide help where it’s needed.”

Matt's volunteering schedule

Matt volunteers for one afternoon each week and we ensure to work around his job schedule.

As time has passed, our clients have got to know Matt and have even stopped him in the street for a catch-up when he’s ‘off duty’.

“Knowing that you’ve helped people and made those personal connections is really rewarding,” he says.

The difference he's making

Having a volunteer means Ross can work faster, support more people and ease the community team’s workload.

“Matt has experienced everything I have and has really developed in the role. He’s confident in a variety of situations and often brings really good ideas to the table.”

Matt has also has been given the chance to get involved with other areas of Porchlight, broadening his experience and skillset. It also allows him to better understand how his work supporting people in the community affects other parts of our charity.

Ultimately, Matt would like to work in the care industry. Volunteering with Porchlight has put him in a good position and given him lots of experience to draw on.