Paul’s story: Volunteering to connect through creativity and listening
As a volunteer, he brings people together through group music sessions that encourage expression, shared experience and conversation.
Volunteering is a journey that can be as much about healing as it is about helping. When Paul first walked through the doors of Change Mental Health’s community resource hub in Edinburgh, Stafford Centre, he wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
He only knew he wanted to connect with people with a shared experience of mental health and to volunteer. What he found was a space that was welcoming and respectful, open to his aspiration to volunteer and use his creative background to offer something stimulating and worthwhile to others.
Paul grew up in Somerset and spent years travelling and working across the UK, eventually settling in Moray with his wife. Mental health awareness has always been close to home, as he lives with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and has experience with two brothers-in-law who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
“There’s a synchronicity in that.”
Paul subsequently learned, only after approaching the Stafford Centre, that one of his brothers-in-law had been supported by the very same service more than 30 years ago.
His wife still has a reply to a letter she wrote in 1988 to Alistair Darling, the MP at the time, asking him to add his voice to keeping the centre open when it was threatened with closure over 30 years ago. These challenges remain, as the Stafford Centre has been going for almost 40 years and still repeatedly faces issues with funding despite keeping people out of hospital and saving public money.
from participant to peer supporter
From the outset, Paul didn’t have a clear picture of what his contribution as a volunteer would look like. However, he has a background in fine art and a lifelong passion for creativity, and imagined that holding art sessions would be the best option.
After attending various current creative sessions at the centre himself, Paul recognised that he enjoyed sharing ideas and thoughts with other group members.
Paul had an initial idea that involved holding sessions where people could paint, draw, write or model in clay, while listening to various pieces of music and having time for reflective discussion. This idea was discussed with staff who were able to give valuable insight and feedback. This, along with Paul’s own experience of attending other sessions, resulted in a way in which his sessions could be better for everyone participating.
music as a tool for expression and belonging
With a revised format, Paul’s sessions are now centred around listening to various types of music followed by a chat about each one.
“My aim in the choice of music to play is to pick less familiar and new (for them) instrumental pieces that people hopefully may not have heard before,” said Paul, who mentioned that there are three reasons for this approach.
“Firstly, I want to try and avoid playing familiar and well-known songs since there’s a strong possibility that it may evoke a specific memory (good or bad) for individuals.
“Secondly, playing instrumental pieces – as opposed to songs with lyrics – allows the listener to have their own thoughts and interpretations, whereas lyrics often tell a story the songwriter wants to convey.
“Thirdly, if a piece is new or unfamiliar, it brings the listener’s focus into the present moment in the here and now.”
“For myself, I find this the most enjoyable aspect, since I have my own thoughts, feelings and imagination, which can be either positive, negative or indifferent. I get to be able to share these with others in a non-judgmental and safe space.
“This is what really engages me: listening to other’s thoughts and perspectives and where I can learn something new too.
“For me, there’s an authentic interaction with other people of a shared experiencing in the moment. I never cease to be amazed at how differently people respond. I learn a lot.”
Looking to the future, Paul hopes there will be the possibility of more groups and that there might be more diversity in attendees. “I’d like to experience how people from different cultural backgrounds respond to music and what emotions it conveys based on where they’re from and what age they are,” he says. To use but one quote by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Music is the universal language of humankind.”
A small example of the range of music Paul has used are: Hocus Pocus by Focus, Gnossiennes Nos 1 by Eric Satie, Telstar by The Tornados and Take Five by Dave Brubeck.
creating safety and connection
Paul credits the Signature Project team, especially Emma, for creating a space where both service users and volunteers are encouraged and feel safe. He appreciated the structured induction and the ongoing opportunity for personal reflection after each session.
Paul also shares his own moments of doubt and vulnerability. “I do feel anxious sometimes about choosing the music. There’s a sense of responsibility. I wonder, ‘What will they think of me because I chose this?’ But I’m able to acknowledge this and be with it.”
Emma’s role as a staff member allows Paul to fully immerse himself in the group dynamic. “Because Emma is the official staff presence, I am just part of the group, facilitating but also experiencing it.”
On reflection, Paul believes it’s not necessarily the activity that’s the most important part of the sessions but more the human interaction, chatting and sharing thoughts. “It’s the excuse to come together, to talk, to be seen. Whether it’s music, writing or just having a cuppa, it’s about sharing time together.”
giving beyond the time
Paul doesn’t see volunteering as limited to a specific slot or task. He sourced donated art materials earlier in the year and is always on the lookout for creative ways to contribute.
“If you can’t give time or money, sometimes you can give supplies. Also, what one person sees as rubbish can be a treasure to another in a creative space.”
He encourages others to think more broadly about how they can help. “You might not think it’s useful but there are endless opportunities. For example, scraps of wood, old bicycle parts, they can all become part of something new.”
Paul can understand why some people may feel apprehensive about volunteering in mental health settings.
“You have to be patient. It’s not instant. People may imagine they’ll be doing something within a few weeks but it took about four months from my first conversation to actually run a session. That’s not a bad thing. It’s about relationships and trust.”
He adds, “If you’re thinking about volunteering, just let people know. Let it build.”
For Paul, the Stafford Centre represents something simple but essential: a space where people matter and connect.
“I enjoy myself, I can relax and I can breathe. Why wouldn’t I want to do this?
“Everyone brings something valuable. Even showing up is a contribution, just by being there. That’s what makes it work.”
Paul goes to the Stafford Centre most days. Spending time with people, it forms connection and enables him to feel part of something that makes his day.
contact
Our Advice and Support Service is open Monday to Friday, 10 am to 4 pm (closed for lunch between 12.30pm and 1.30pm), where advisers can signpost you to local support that most fits your needs, including our Change Mental Health services. We offer initial advice on money worries and help to deal with emergencies.
Contact 0808 8010 515, email us at advice@changemh.org or fill out the enquiry form on the Advice and Support Service page.
