"Being proud of who I am"

Story written with service user (who is deaf) and posted by a service user volunteer:

"2 and a half years ago I was referred to the Social Inclusion and Wellbeing service, who understood the stepping stones which I could do. I used to go to study IT at FOCUS on wellbeing, who used to be a part of Social Inclusion and Wellbeing with Tim Wood.

After working with my OT Rachael, she introduced me to Sangita, because I wanted to do voluntary work. I wanted to use tools I have, the good life skills and qualifications in sign language and I have empathy skills to use.

I am not ready for paid work, but wanted to do something, so I would not be home, alone, pondering my thoughts.

I work at disability direct for a couple of hours a week. It makes me feel better, giving something back. I do sign language with people and crafts and at the moment we are doing Christmas cards with people.

If you always rely on people all the time you never get better. I like people doing things for themselves, independently. I work with people with different disabilities. Its nice toget people together and doing things for themselves. Coming out and meeting people, social interactons. Its a friendship group and we are all on the same level.

I do voluntarary work with a young lad, who wanted to learn sign language, which was arranged through Disability Direct over the summer for 6 weeks. He is now doing a sign language course at college, so I feel I have done something to help him. It made me feel positiveto help him. I am not a teacher but I gave something back. I love sign language.

I like being in Social Inclusion and Wellbeing. I feel safe, I have someone to talk to. I try to work it out myself until crisis and then I can phone them. In the background they are there. I work with Rachel, Sangita and Ian, who are very supportive and willing to listen. A small problem to them can be a big problem to me. "