Volunteer Stories
We asked Ruben, a personal coach, speaker and trainer, who has been volunteering with Get Connected for a year, to describe a call where he felt he had a real impact on the young person calling:
“I spoke with a 15 year old boy who was being bullied at school, he was clearly distraught and found it very difficult to talk. After about 10 minutes he began to open up a little about how he felt and I managed to tell him about a few organisations that might be able to help.
He was so pleased that there were so many people he could talk to. I really sensed and felt a change, it was like I was talking to a different young man by the end of the call.
“I have always taken pride in my communication and interpersonal skills. However, in less than 12 months, Get Connected has helped me to raise the bar and take these skills to a whole new level. My listening skills have improved greatly (just ask my wife) as has my ability to be compassionate without being directional or judgemental. I have also learned so much about the raft of difficult, sensitive and complex issues that affect young people that I didn’t even know existed.
“In addition to huge personal growth and the opportunity to develop ones character and communication skills, being able to contribute something to society in this way has been an invaluable experience. The training, ongoing support and camaraderie are amazing. I love the people, attitudes and overall Get Connected culture.”