My name is Laurie and I'm 35 years old. I have always been involved in helping, supporting or just making people laugh, from being a children’s party entertainer to founding a charity that recruits and supports foster carers. I believe we all have a part in ensuring that people’s opportunities in life aren’t dictated by the circumstances they are born in to.
I have been an Independent Visitor for nearly a year now, gosh it's flown by! I became an Independent Visitor as I really wanted looked-after young people to have the opportunity to spend time with a safe adult who isn't paid to spend time with them. I can’t fathom what it must feel like to be surrounded by a multitude of professionals always asking questions about your health, behaviour, plan, family.
When I first met my phenomenal young person, he wouldn’t look at me, spoke to me with his head on the floor and his jumper over his head and told me that he only wanted to do activities in the house. I knew instantly that I was going to be in the young man’s life for as long as he wanted me and I think he knew too. After three months, the young person and I were spending the day at the beach, going for dinner, going to the cinema and going on walks with my dog.
In a society where we are often separated by our difference, volunteering allows us to come together in our similarities and have the privilege of supporting young people. I feel lucky to be able to be a volunteer, it adds so much to my life.
The young person I support is the reason I enjoy volunteering, he is funny, smart, curious, strong willed and caring and I love watching him grow. He has been on a huge journey to get to where he is and it is amazing to be a small part of the journey with him.
After three months of spending time with my young person, I went out on a whim and suggested we go to the beach for the day, he agreed (I also planned lunch and time at a petting zoo but didn’t mention this initially as I knew it would be overwhelming, but I knew he could do it). We had the best day, he interacted with children and adults (which he struggles with), laughed and engaged all day in everything planned.