Project gets a major grant

Craigavon and Banbridge Volunteer Bureau has been awarded a grant of 474,135 to run the Placement and Access Project which will give members the chance gain new skills, improve their confidence and give something back to their communities.

The project, based in the Legahory Centre in Brownlow, will first build people’s confidence and esteem by working with them to come up with a training and development programme.

Once they feel confident enough they will then have the chance to get involved in voluntary work with local community and voluntary groups.

“The project will work with volunteers who have disabilities such as visual impairments, learning disabilities, brain injury, strokes, depression, anxiety and mental health problems,” said project manager Donna Stewart.

“People with disabilities can often be socially isolated and not get the opportunities to get involved in community life because they have poor social skills, they have difficulty communicating or people don’t understand their conditions.

“They can end up stuck in the house with nothing to motivate or inspire them in their lives and no chance to mix with other people.

“We work with our members to come up with a development programme that suits their needs. Once they have built up the confidence and skills they get the opportunity to move to a placement with a local community or voluntary group.”

She continued: “They might be volunteering with a charity doing jobs such as folding clothes or serving on the till, or they could be working for a community group answering the phones or doing some photocopying.

“The groups they will be working with will have the opportunity to tackle the isolation and loneliness affecting people with disabilities, and dispel the myth they are unable to work. They will get good members of staff who care about their work and want to make a real difference.”

Chantelle Baker, 25, from Craigavon, has a learning disability and is currently on a work placement with the volunteer bureau.

Before she came to the group she barely left the house and struggled with nerves and low self esteem. She now does administration work and filing and has really grown in confidence.

“I enjoy getting out of the house,” she said. “It’s really helped my confidence since I started here. We did loads of different programmes such as arts and crafts, which I loved, and personal development.

“It’s great getting the chance to meet other people and help others when they are having problems with something. I’ve gained so much from being here and I’ve really come a long way."