Volunteers
Page 6
Serving the deafblind community
Gillian Monrad was looking for a challenge when she returned from Australia last year. She had a nursing background and wanted to do something different.
Taking on a voluntary live-in position with a young deafblind man has more than met that aspiration.
"The big deal is communication. Neither of us has lived with anyone for a while and so there's the usual stuff to sort out but also his particular needs. We've learned to be specific in how we talk to each other so he knows where I am, what's happening, and where to find things."
Being a deafblind volunteer is one of the most challenging volunteer roles within the Foundation, according to Auckland co-ordinator of deafblind services and practice adviser, Gloria Campbell.
"Not a lot of people know much about deafblind people. They've been an invisible population for so long. It's a steep learning curve for our volunteers."
"To begin with, if we disagreed Peter thought I'd leave," Gillian says. "I had to explain that disagreeing is normal, it's OK."
Gillian has been living with Peter for just over six months now.
"He's become my friend. We both have full-time jobs but we do things together, like go to the Easter Show. We've painted the garage and he makes furniture. He's incredible."
Initially Gloria spent time with both Peter and Gillian, until they were used to each other.
"We try to match people with each other as each individual has their own needs. We recruit volunteers mainly as communicator guides, to support deafblind people to have access to the wider community but that can vary from going with someone to the doctor or getting their shopping, to writing mail or printing on the palm of someone's hand."
"Gloria's been wonderful," Gillian says, "We've had terrific support."
The Foundation employs a national trainer who does the one-day training sessions with volunteers. After that, all training is 'on-the-job'. "A lot of people using the service are elderly and the support we can offer is limited. We always need volunteers," Gloria says.
Most volunteers offer between one and three hours a week. Some are retired or, like the majority of volunteers, don't have full-time jobs.
To become a deafblind volunteer contact your regional deafblind co-ordinator on 0800 24 33 33.