-
Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
-
Learn more about joining the Diabetes UK Support Forum team here: https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/volunteering-opportunities-why-dont-you-join-us.112862/
Has anyone ever volunteered at the diabetes uk family weekender.
- Thread starter rayray119
- Start date
- Status
SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I do these weekends regularly. It is so good to see the positive impact on all the members of the family. There are three programmes over the weekend catering for parents/carers, another for siblings and one for children with T1. I have been involved in each of these programmes over the years, but now stick to the Parent/carers programme (physically struggle to keep up with the activities the children do)
In addition to the impact of the families that attend, there is the exchange of information about how we each manage our T1. I also enjoy being ‘normal’ for a weekend, with a few muggles there as well, who are definitely the odd ones. It is interesting seeing so many of us check our pumps when an alarm goes off!
I would highly recommend getting involved. I am off to Belfast in February Not sure where the next one is. There are also weeklong residentials but I have not considered those.
In addition to the impact of the families that attend, there is the exchange of information about how we each manage our T1. I also enjoy being ‘normal’ for a weekend, with a few muggles there as well, who are definitely the odd ones. It is interesting seeing so many of us check our pumps when an alarm goes off!
I would highly recommend getting involved. I am off to Belfast in February Not sure where the next one is. There are also weeklong residentials but I have not considered those.
well it seems there are still spaces at the Belfast one as it still asks you about it when you go to apply(but im not sure how long the apiiction process would take actually) thats ehy i was partlly wondering whay yhey would consisder as reasonable travel expresses.(i did email to ask)
yeah the reason why i wondered its the information said "we will cover reasonable travel expresses"
but yeah will let you know if i end up doing it
I won't be going to to the Belfast one as too late. But there's one in the east midlands in may(which is where i live) so if i can get though the apiicatin processs by then then maybe(hoping my coschronitus will be better by then)
SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Sorry Belfast hasn’t worked but I hope you can get things sorted for next time.
Thanks I have just spilled and they want to meet with me online I said I was available for the the one in may.
So I didn't get selected. I do have an opinion on the application process and the fact it's very much applying for job including the kind of questions you get asked doesn't really give the best oveveiw of what. You're like in the in actual role and they probably can't really tell what person is like just by meeting you online. I've never been very good at interviews but I know from other people that have seen me around children that I am good with them and had experience working with them in a voltmeter seting(in fact im competlly differnt around kids then I am with adults but you cant show that in an idea) but thats just my personal opinion(and im not trying curisite anyone) applying to volteener for anything is like that now i remember where you used to just volunteer.
Proud to be erratic
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 3c
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Well that's not great news for you @rayray119.
You could do worse than send them an email asking why you were not selected. Since you are volunteering to do something that YOU feel you could be good at, ask what qualities were they looking for and which they felt you didn't have.
Also did you find a strong candidate to help you with providing a reference in the end?
Seeing this slightly from the other end of the telescope the organisers and HR folks who shortlist candidates etc do have a legal duty of care to screen candidates for such activities. It could be that screening process needs a measure of confirmation about suitability from whoever is giving the reference. Should something go wrong and you or any volunteer was in the middle of that something the organisers them selves become vulnerable to being accused of not screening thoroughly enough or not supervising a volunteer sufficiently. I'm afraid this is a tortuous challenge for any organisation using volunteers these days. My daughter had a lot of daily experience with this in the care industry until some 12 months ago and found so many "Pooh bear traps" waiting at each corner it all became quite stressful for her, despite her experience.
Perhaps @SB2015 could add some thoughts about who to ask and how best to pitch a plea for better info from the original organisers you've been involved with (or even an appeal against the decision)? But if you decide to neither appeal nor ask why you will be just rolling over and not letting them know that you are disappointed with this outcome.
As I see it you have several strong cards to play: you are a volunteer and potentially available; you are comfortable amongst children; you are young enough to stay with their seemingly endless energy; you are yourself T1 and "understand". Perhaps they could adjust their decision and invite you to attend for a day or 2 to get to know you better?
You could do worse than send them an email asking why you were not selected. Since you are volunteering to do something that YOU feel you could be good at, ask what qualities were they looking for and which they felt you didn't have.
Also did you find a strong candidate to help you with providing a reference in the end?
Seeing this slightly from the other end of the telescope the organisers and HR folks who shortlist candidates etc do have a legal duty of care to screen candidates for such activities. It could be that screening process needs a measure of confirmation about suitability from whoever is giving the reference. Should something go wrong and you or any volunteer was in the middle of that something the organisers them selves become vulnerable to being accused of not screening thoroughly enough or not supervising a volunteer sufficiently. I'm afraid this is a tortuous challenge for any organisation using volunteers these days. My daughter had a lot of daily experience with this in the care industry until some 12 months ago and found so many "Pooh bear traps" waiting at each corner it all became quite stressful for her, despite her experience.
Perhaps @SB2015 could add some thoughts about who to ask and how best to pitch a plea for better info from the original organisers you've been involved with (or even an appeal against the decision)? But if you decide to neither appeal nor ask why you will be just rolling over and not letting them know that you are disappointed with this outcome.
As I see it you have several strong cards to play: you are a volunteer and potentially available; you are comfortable amongst children; you are young enough to stay with their seemingly endless energy; you are yourself T1 and "understand". Perhaps they could adjust their decision and invite you to attend for a day or 2 to get to know you better?
I don't volunteer anymore nothing to do with as used voltentear in a church settings(as well a couple of parent snd tolder groups). The place I'm at now doesn't have thatI can kind of think of why i was unsure of some of questions(typical job interview questions) where I might not have come up with good examples but my point was more a virtual meeting in my opinion doesn't give you a good overview of someone I'm fine if others disagree with that.
Last edited:
SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Well worth you emailing them @rayray119 to find out their reasons. It may be as simple as they already had enough volunteers for that event. It is a juggling act of ensuring that they have enough volunteers for the families they are catering for, and also to allow for drop outs due to illness. There were 75 of us in Belfast!!!
If it was a more general ‘no’ then I would definitely get back to ask for feedback. It is always difficult to think of the best examples to use in any interview so perhaps include some other examples in your email if you kept a record of the questions. It can do no harm for you to ask for feedback and also shows that you are keen.
With regard to referees, I always send those that I choose, a copy of the job description so that they can focus their reference on the requirements listed.
I think know you just apply and then and if you're accepted do events that you're available and needed for. The apiication seems.to sujest that. Yeah I don't think I offen come across well in the interviews
- Status