Meet Ian, an ETE Mentor and former Peer Mentor

Why did you get involved in volunteering with Pact?

I got involved because I wanted to help other people move forward with their life in a positive way and understand with Employment Training and Education their chances of living a crime free life will enhance and have a positive impact in their overall lifestyle.

What does a normal shift volunteering look like for you?

A normal day with Pact would involve seeing Service Users in a group setting or on a one-to-one basis, reviewing C. V’s and providing a general assessment and chat with the Service User to see if they need any support with us or signposting them to local services e.g., Drugs and Alcohol, Mental Health and any other queries they may have.

What do you find most fulfilling about volunteering for Pact?

The thing I enjoy most is working with my Colleagues at Pact and Maximus and developing my own skills and helping others move forward with their life. Helping Service Users understand that Education, Training and Employment will help them positively reintegrate into society if they have just been released from prison or on a probation order. There is help out there.

What would you say to someone who is considering joining Pact as a volunteer?

I would tell them do it. Not only are you working with a great bunch of people who work within Pact, you also get to work with other agencies like Maximus and Probation.