Volunteer spotlight

As an advocate for men's mental health, I had been in the process of setting up a Kent-based men’s mental health charity - a community, like a “man club” - and had raised £500 through a fundraiser. Unfortunately, I couldn't get it off the ground, so I decided to donate that money to a local charity. Porchlight was the first one that really caught my eye. I made the donation, but then decided I wanted to get involved too. I looked at the volunteer opportunities on the website - and the rest is history. I've been volunteering now for about four or five years.

I wanted to give up my time to help people and give back, and I saw Porchlight as the perfect opportunity to do that. There are a lot of connections between homelessness and mental health. Sometimes mental health issues are the cause, and sometimes they're the result. I felt it was important to give back and help those people who are struggling.

Having been an outreach volunteer for a while now, you see and hear about people’s unfortunate situations that have resulted in rough sleeping - from relationship breakdowns, loss of a relative, issues with addiction... it's not easy out there for them. Some people have just been dealt a poor hand and need a little help to get back on track. There are some good people on the streets who just need support and encouragement to get going again. When you see the success stories, it really makes it worthwhile. Or when you see that hope in people’s eyes - when they realise there are people looking out for them and trying to improve their lives - that's what makes you want to keep helping.

I was volunteering at a drop-in centre in Gravesend one morning as part of a volunteer day my employer offers. I chose to spend that time at a church hub that provides hot meals, showers, laundry facilities, etc. One of my tasks that morning was to help clients with paperwork - housing applications, benefit forms, that kind of thing.

While I was sitting with one man, helping him fill out a form, he asked if I was new, said he hadn't seen me before, and asked if I worked for Porchlight. When I told him I was a volunteer - that I had chosen to be there - he was completely shocked. He couldn’t believe someone would give up their time for free just to help him. But he was so grateful, really appreciative and thanked me. That moment really stuck with me because I could see I was making a difference. It made a real impact on him.

I’ve learned not to judge a book by its cover. Anyone can become homeless due to unfortunate circumstances. I've come across really smart individuals who had good jobs but had come unstuck. There's a common misconception that all rough sleepers are drug addicts or alcoholics - and that's just not true.

There are some really decent people out there who’ve fallen on hard times and find themselves without a support network, sleeping on benches, in tents or in their cars. A lot of that is down to the cost-of-living crisis. Housing isn't affordable, and some private landlords are ruthless in how they treat tenants. Like I said, some people just need a helping hand to regain their confidence and independence.

Do it. Find time in your schedule to make a difference to someone’s life. Be that positive impact. Be the reason they turn things around.