A win with open working

Having been on the DDC programme since December I was rearing with go with my first meeting of our Steering Group, sharing the research we were about to embark on and hopefully rustling up some interest……

😊people were very positive about the project exploring barriers into volunteering for people with mental health challenges, sharing some powerful stories about their experiences.. ‘I didn’t feel I could push back on the tight timelines they (the charity) had and I could feel my health getting worse, I didn’t know what to do…’ so I was sure I would easily have 5 people to interview…..

☹ but then no one came forward

😊 inspired by the open working ethos we’ve been sharing what we’re up to with different Volunteer Centres in London and…..

It turns out….. Richard from the Volunteer Centre in Hackney has been running a Stepping Up programme supporting people with lived experience of mental health into volunteering for many years and has offered to share our ‘invitation to be part of the discovery phase’ out to his many contacts.

😊 and it turns out….the follow up email never got through to Steering Group participants so I now have 4 people booked in….

Boy it’s a rollercoaster!