London Freeshop Coalition - Maya's Community Support Center

Coalition for Good

Contagious Energy You know how when someone else in a small room yawns and you feel the urge to yawn as well. It’s a similar feeling when you are in the Freeshop volunteering. It is hard work , there can be a constant stream of donations coming in, service users visiting, surplus food coming and going throughout the day. When you look around and you are surrounded by others and you know the work you are doing will help families in need it spurs you on, this energy is contagious.
Collective Healing In 2023 we carried out two surveys of our volunteers six months apart. We found that 80% of our Volunteers suffer from Mental Health problems. After volunteering for six months 90% of those who presented with mental health problems reported an increase in their well being. On investigation they told us that by finding a support structure and getting into a routine of carrying out meaningful work gave them a boost they were not expecting.
Connecting People Our volunteers not only bonded through their work and helping people they found a family in Maya’s Community Support Centre. Volunteers who found their support structure within the charity were approaching us and asking if they could set up and run self help groups. We put them through Mental Health First Aid Training and helped set up (Mens Mental Health Group, Women’s Well Being Group, Fibromyalgia Support Group as well as support regular social activities.

Coalition for Good

Coping Skills When you start to socialise with others who have also experienced traumatic situations or have suffered from Mental Health or Anxiety and you build up a support network often there is a sharing of coping and support methods or skills. Our Volunteer led support groups are an excellent place to share these skills with one another.
Creating Balance It can be easy when you start to volunteer and can see the difference you are making to the less fortunate to yourself to go a little overboard and burn yourself out. We are fortunate in that we have over 150 active volunteers. Enough for us to separate into teams, we give our team leaders and managers training in looking out for the signs of burnout and try to identify and approach volunteers when they are doing too much.
Confidence Building It is very rewarding when you see a volunteering growing in confidence and asking to take on different volunteer roles within the organisation. For example one volunteer came to us asking if they could help for a few hours picking up food from supermarkets, they didn’t want to interact with many people due to anxiety. After six months, they found their confidence once again and after some training now help to run the food bank as shift leader one night a week.

Coalition for Good

Connected Souls
Through shared / similar experiences we find that our volunteers have a connection deeper than most normal friendships. By helping the community through volunteering you can also feel more connected to society in general. Knowing you are contributing and giving back makes you more connected.

Coalition for Good

Courage Healing
Admitting you need help can be the hardest and most courageous first step. We see service users who visit the Freeshop / food bank and they bit by bit they want to get involved but find it hard to take the first step. Often there is some trauma that they have experienced that is holding them back. Recently we have opened a Mental Health and Well being beach hut with both group and one to one support sessions , tea and chat and some structured therapy sessions with a volunteer qualified therapist. The path to healing can be long but once the first step is made we find our volunteers find support from within our organisation.