When you do something good for people, it will come back to you later, many times over

Mehmet had previously offered his spare time as a charity worker in Turkey before coming to live in the UK with his family, Mehmet was therefore keen to continue to volunteer as a way to give back to the local community. His late father had always said to him “when you do something good for people, it will come back to you later, many times over”… like a boomerang effect.

Alongside ESOL classes, Mehmet also wanted to practice his English language, develop his skills and better understand the Salford community which he has made his home. “…sharing experience and communication. Learning culture, its people and their way of thinking…a very important thing when living here is to understand people here…”

We chatted together about the sorts of roles that would both fit with his reasons for volunteering and also offered the potential to speak to lots of different people. Mehmet was interested in catering and community work, so he chose three opportunities to explore further. We linked him with Salford Veterans Breakfast Club, Social Adventures and the British Heart Foundation in Pendleton.

We followed up with the organisations in December to see if Mehmet had started volunteering and how he was getting on.

“I'm pleased to say we've had Mehmet here with us for three weeks now. Mehmet supports our cafe on Wednesdays. He has already proven to be a huge asset to us and he is a delight to work with”. (Social Adventures)

We also caught up with Mehmet himself in January to see if he was enjoying his volunteering and whether he required any other support. Mehmet liked volunteering at the Breakfast club every other weekend, particularly speaking to the veterans and sharing stories with them. He explained that it had really helped with his English skills, communication and learning.

"Thank you very much for your support.  I am happy with Foodbank and Breakfast Club.”