Why volunteering matters - Makayla's story

Makayla lives with schizoaffective disorder and volunteers for our Brent Mental Health Service. She shares the importance of giving back and the power of lived experience.

What I’ve learnt from my journey

I was diagnosed with depression, bipolar disorder and then schizoaffective disorder. My experience of being hospitalised, going on medication and training my mind to function well again has taught me many things.

I now know I need to have patience with myself, have a way to self-reflect, keep mechanisms in place when I’m feeling unwell, and notice my patterns and triggers. I know the first signs I’m becoming unwell are withdrawing from people and not eating or sleeping. Now I have mechanisms in place, for example, if I haven’t slept properly, I have a bubble bath or drink chamomile tea. I wanted to use these experiences I have, the tricks and tips I’ve learnt, and share them with others, so they don’t have to go through what I went through. 

Why I started volunteering

I started volunteering because I wanted to get back into a routine and give back to people, using my personal experience to help others. I wanted to also develop on my strengths.

I’ve been volunteering for over a year now. I can say it’s really improved my life. I never thought I’d be able to get an opportunity to help others in this way. Because I haven’t had a job in a while, my volunteering role has given me something to look forward to in the week and helps me build a routine. It’s helped me to have more confidence in my abilities.

What volunteering with Rethink can look like

Every day is different whilst volunteering for the Brent Mental Health Service. It really depends on what the client wants to do. But emotional support is always the first thing I offer as it helps me to build trust with them. If the person I’m supporting feels upset or has any concerns on their mind, they express their emotions to me and I can help them with processing those feelings.

I supported one of my clients with quite a few things – we went to a café, I helped her buy a radio and apply for her Irish passport. I also went on a walk with her, where we talked about her wellbeing.

I waited until the last minute to get support for my mental health. Unfortunately, I was already in crisis when I got help. I had great support from friends and family, who understand my condition, but I didn’t go to any services, really, except for one that offered talking therapies. So, I want people to be aware of the services that can offer help, in the hopes that people don’t wait to seek support. I like being able to help others before it gets to that critical point.