Blog: 'Why not volunteer? You will feel a sense of value'
The English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) website features a blog post every Friday through the year.
June's theme is Volunteering. This week, John Harling, Facility Manager of IFI Mark accredited Portway Lifestyle Centre in Sandwell in the Midlands, discusses the benefits of the Buddy System of volunteers in place at his leisure centre.
John’s blog:
Portway has only been open around 18 months. Initially, we set up a volunteer scheme off the back of London 2012, as a legacy ambition. We saw the added value the Games Makers brought to the Olympic Games, and as Portway was brand new we thought that we would try to recruit some volunteers who help as meeters-and-greeters.
As an IFI Mark accredited site, we have a number of disability features designed to support individuals right throughout the Centre, we thought those volunteers could spend time welcoming people into Portway.
There are more than 1,000 Sandwell disabled residents, who benefit from free access to many activities, through the Portway Pass membership scheme. We are hoping that this number will continue to grow, as the centre increases its range of activities and services, available to all of our customers across the borough and beyond.
The initial concept was that our volunteers would understand all the features on offer for disabled customers, from way-finding to tactile paving, braille and wheelchair accessible lockers.
The volunteers were to understand all of these features, so whoever comes into Portway we’d have the tool to explain how we could best meet their requirements.
Almost two years on, we still do a lot of meeting and greeting. However, volunteers now support a visually impaired group from Sandwell through a Buddy Scheme in the gym.
We probably have eight or so people with a visual impairment who come and use the gym. We support them and we’re happy to host their assistance jobs in the Centre.
How do Buddies work?
Well, for example they could help with setting someone up on the treadmill, getting them started. An individual’s goal might be to meet 2000 calories in a session, and a Buddy will set the machine up to hit that target. Then using their Buddy, a customer can raise their arm and the Buddy will be there to read out what they have achieved, be that distance or resistance or whatever.
Buddies provide basic support for that disabled individual, getting them to familiarise themselves with the gym. The customer may come into the Centre independently but may need this little extra bit of support.
We recruited volunteers through advertising in the local media, around the time Portway was opening. We also used our website to promote it. No qualifications were needed, and all we needed were people with good communication skills, some people who could be real ambassadors for us, real advocates of the benefits of physical activity.
And soon we recruited one chap in his 60s who was very local, a real advocate of how physical activity had benefitted his life and helped him. Another volunteer is a wheelchair user, and he was that impressed with the facilities available at Portway he wanted to volunteer for us, to spread the word.
Volunteers have been a real asset to us. They can give the time which the paid-for team, who are often are little stretched, are not able to give. They have really got to know our customers, and will relay positive and not so positive feedback. We listen to them.
And our volunteers recently won an award from Sandwell Leisure Trust, in recognition of the contribution they continue to make. We see the value in them communicating with our customers, both in the gym and at major events and disability conferences we host. They are really proud of the Centre, and that sort of enthusiasm for what we’re trying to achieve shines through, and really reflects well on Portway.
The volunteers add value. They provide the Centre with a very welcoming and encouraging environment.
Why not volunteer? You will feel a sense of value, and you can be part of a project. They are part of our team, fully integrated. We get these people who are all advocates of Portway, who add value, and who provide the Centre with a very welcoming and encouraging environment.
