Author: Michelle Williams

At Options, we support a diverse community of people to be able to access the resources they need to live their best lives. Samo is a valued and inspiring member of our dynamic community and has been a key part of many projects and initiatives during his time with us. We caught up with Samo to hear all about his experience with us and the different activities that he gets involved with.

When did you hear about Options?

I heard about Options in 1993, so about 30 years ago.

What support has Options given you?

They helped me get out and about in the community and go to different places like Museums and Options parties. We also went on a trip to Bendrigg Trust where we did activities like canoeing, mountain climbing and abseiling.

Options helped me with other things at home, like cleaning my house. My support with Options started with a social worker, who really helped with my confidence because my trust had been broken before with other agencies, but they helped me to come out of my shell.

They gave me support when I was transitioning, which was a big part of my life. Options have trans staff, so they were really accepting. I was able to go to the local Pride celebrations and they introduced me to an LGBTQ+ support group in Wakefield. During my transition, they also supported the people around me, by helping my friends and community to understand trans perspectives. With Options, I create colourful, activist art to help raise awareness of trans rights, autism and seizure awareness. This is something I enjoy and it helps to take my mind off things. My work was shown at Tate Liverpool.

You’re now quite involved with Options; what kind of things do you do?

I’m a lead for Voices R Us. I spoke to Gill who was the previous leader. She has a brother with Down Syndrome and she started the group to help people with disabilities to have a voice. I’ve been part of the group for 19 years and our voices and feelings are listened to. Options always make the changes we need to give us better support. I saw how important the meetings are and I wanted to get involved. Anita from the Wirral Voices R Us comes over during the meetings to support me in case of any seizures. I’ve done lots of other things here like my art projects and I’ve also done a first aid training course with The Brain Charity.

What does the support mean to you?

If I didn’t have the support, I’d be shut out from the world because of my social anxiety. Being in large crowds can make me feel claustrophobic and I can have seizures. I don’t let my disabilities define me or my life, I still do art exhibitions at Tate Liverpool, lead the Voices R Us group and talk to my community. Options make me feel safe, happy and confident.

If you had to describe Options to someone else, how would you describe them?

The best agency I’ve been with, supportive, I’d never want to change.

Do you want to see how Options can support you or a loved one?

Speak to our team about how we might be able to help. Call us on 0151 236 0855 or drop us
an email at welcome@optionsempowers.org.uk.

Each of our volunteers brings their unique skills and experience to our diverse team, and
we’re grateful for all of the work that they do. We caught up with Gemma to hear all about the work she does as a volunteer for Options and what it means to her.

How did you first hear about Options for Supported Living?

I first heard about Options when I searched online for volunteer opportunities that involved working with vulnerable people. I’d seen the work that Options do to support people with learning disabilities and acquired brain injuries which is something I didn’t have experience in, but definitely felt drawn towards.

I got in touch with the team and after completing some shadowing shifts and training, I was eventually matched with people in the Options community that I would be supporting. I started by supporting people on an outreach basis. This meant that they only needed a little support throughout the week as they already had a certain level of independence. After this, I progressed so I was doing both outreach and some supported living on a paid basis. With supported living, I was working in teams to support people who needed 24-hour a day care.

How do you volunteer your time at Options?

The majority of my time spent volunteering at Options involved supporting people with disabilities to participate as active members of the local community. It began with getting to know the people we’re supporting and building up a trusting relationship. It also involved supporting clients in their day-to-day life, such as accompanying them food shopping, paying their bills, attending health appointments. My role also meant supporting people in our community to do the things they enjoy, such as seeing friends, visiting local parks or engaging in activities like bowling or board games.

Volunteers have a big part to play in helping to transform the lives of people in the Options community. Our role even includes providing emotional assistance for the people we support, helping them to process big life events or helping them to access professional contributions when required. As volunteers, we’re responsible for making sure that our work falls in line with the correct safeguarding and legislation.

What’s your favourite thing about being a volunteer?

My favourite thing about being a volunteer was that I was constantly learning and improving my knowledge. It gave me a sense of purpose and I felt that my efforts made a positive difference, not only in the lives of people I support, but also in my own life. I had the opportunity to meet some amazing people along the way and gain some valuable experience working alongside the team.

It allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone and develop new skills. Some days don’t feel like work, and we create some great memories. Other days can be a little more emotionally challenging, but you learn to become more tactful in the ways that you respond to challenges. As someone with a disability myself, it allowed me to explore my limits and capabilities in a way I never really anticipated.

What were you doing before becoming a volunteer?

Before becoming a volunteer at Options, I’d been doing some volunteer work with ex-offenders released from prison, for the Merseyside Offender Mentor Project, and I’d also worked in a hospitality position for a corporate law firm. I graduated from Liverpool John Moores University in 2012 with a degree in Criminal Justice. I wasn’t necessarily a ‘student with a plan’, so after finishing my degree, I wanted to explore the different types of voluntary work available, and it led me to start volunteering at Options in 2015.

How did you spend your time before you began volunteering at Options?

Prior to starting at Options, I used to spend my time researching the different types of learning disabilities and also had a lot of great hobbies such as fitness classes and learning to play guitar. I’d also been attending a stress control course with Talk Liverpool. I didn’t know much about my condition as someone with Bipolar, so I intended to educate myself and others, to develop better coping mechanisms and become more mindful and aware of my triggers. This was important in my role as a volunteer for Options, as I had experience in supporting people with disabilities to maintain and nurture their own mental health and well-being.

What does being a volunteer at Options mean to you? How has it improved your life?

Becoming a volunteer gave my life more meaning and brought more joy into my life. It also helped me to become a more compassionate and grateful person with a better understanding of others and what matters most to people. Volunteering has helped me to appreciate the smaller things in life and accept people for who they are. It also helped me to become more open about my condition which used to feel like a difficult topic to talk about, but now I’m much more open about it.

Would you recommend becoming a volunteer at Options?

I would recommend being a volunteer at Options because it not only gives you the opportunity to gain experience and develop new skills but also provides you with the chance to learn a lot about yourself. Support work isn’t for everyone and requires patience on the more challenging days, but it is so rewarding and worth the experience. My advice for anyone considering it would be to always treat others how you’d like to be treated.

What do you think someone else would get out of it?

I think it all depends on the attitude of the person and the work they are willing to put into it. If you take on the role with an open mind and have a genuine interest in helping and understanding others, the whole experience can transform your life. Evolved people can change the world, or more simply, make it a better place for you and the people we support. You can make a real difference, I think that’s a huge deal!

How would you describe Options in 3 words?

Engaging, challenging and supportive.

Our diverse communities are transformed by our generous volunteers. We chatted to Danielle about how she became a part of the Options volunteering team, what her experience is of being one of our volunteers and some of the great work that she carries out.

How did you first hear about Options for Supported Living?

I first heard about Options because a member of my family works for them and asked if I’d like to give volunteering a try. I experience social anxiety, so I really wanted to try to push myself out of my comfort zone and eventually go back to college. Joining Options as a volunteer seemed like a great chance to help me grow my confidence. I had the opportunity to help out with some events that were going ahead and I really enjoyed it.

How do you volunteer your time at Options?

I started volunteering my time in 2019, where I’d help the team out at events. I’d travel to the events and back independently, which was already helping me to step out of my comfort zone. At the events, I would support the team by taking photos, documenting the day and talking to people to get their feedback.

When lockdown hit in 2020, everything changed and the fundraising team had to adapt the way that they did things. Options started hosting Zoom meetings so that people could still join in on the activities they couldn’t do in person. After attending these events and helping out where I could, I started to volunteer my time by leading the meetings. My role was to host and facilitate the meetings. I’d get to work with people who were running the online activities and we’d host something different every day like art classes or even a ‘sing and sign’ choir, where people who are deaf or hard of hearing could sign vocally and also sign to recorded music. This helped me to be more confident and I got to try something that I’d
never done before.

After the pandemic, I carried on volunteering for Options, where I still work with the team to deliver events. I get involved with lots of different activities, such as quizzes, dance classes, exercise classes and some of their clubs.

What’s your favourite thing about being a volunteer?

My favourite thing about volunteering at Options is coming into the office and helping the team with upcoming events such as cooking classes and sports groups. I get to meet different people who are supported by Options and get involved in the diverse community.

What were you doing before becoming a volunteer?

Before I started volunteering at Options, I was volunteering in a hair salon, but I didn’t get any opportunities to progress. Taking on this role as a volunteer has allowed me to carry out work that is so rewarding and I always get to try new things.

What does being a volunteer at Options mean to you?

Working at Options as a volunteer has improved my confidence. Being able to socialise with the team at Options and the other organisations that Options works with has helped me to improve how I communicate. The team always helps to push me out of my comfort zone and achieve new things which has helped me to do things that I never thought I’d get to do. I feel valued in the team, I go along to social events and even won an award for my contributions as a volunteer at the Options 30th birthday party. Being a volunteer has been so rewarding and has also helped me to explore different career options and what I’d like to do more of in the future.

Would you recommend becoming a volunteer for Options?

I would definitely recommend joining Options as a volunteer. It gets you out in the community, making new friends and learning new skills.

How would you describe Options in 3 words?

I would describe options as friendly, supportive and hardworking.

Want to become a volunteer?

Becoming a volunteer at Options gives you many opportunities to develop your skills,
support a worthy cause and meet a diverse community of people. Find out how you can
join in our valuable work by getting in touch on recruitment@optionsempowers.org.uk