“My only regret? Don’t do it before!”
This week of volunteers, we are highlighting the work of our incredible supporters of even online peers. We talked to Nigel and Martin, two volunteers who have suffered damage to gambling and now use their experiences to help others.
“My only regret? Do not volunteer before,” says Nigel, who was a supporter by even online for over a year.
“Volunteering with Gamcare seemed a natural fit, since I suffered the damage that gambling causes on both sides.
“I was employee from an early age until I transformed my life with a career change. I became a Croupier and participated in various other roles in the gambling sector.
“That experience and the desire to convey any word of wisdom to others who suffer damage, in the hope of really doing the difference there, is what inspired me to start.”
Volunteer online peers supporters use their experiences of gambling damage to support others through one or more of our peer support spaces.
Whether it is to exchange and -mail regular with someone for a few months, facilitate the discussion in our chat rooms or to respond to posts in our forums, these volunteers offer encouragement and motivation to those who suffer from gambling damage – through their gambling or that of a loved one.
Really make the difference
For Nigel, seeing people benefit from his and -mail was “tremendously rewarding”.
“While working in retail sale could be rewarding for some, he has done little in terms of supply of any value or sense of purpose in my life. Now I feel that I am really making the difference outside of work and in the world beyond myself.
“Being able to share my experience of damage to gambling with others also had a positive effect on my mental health.
“Rather than hiding my past and trying some shame in an internally, I have been able to deal through the sharing process. I am a more founded and happier person? Absolutely!”
A sense of purpose
It is a feeling shared by Martin, who started volunteering with Gamcare to help people overcome some of the same experiences he had to face.
“Volunteering built my trust and gave me a renewed sense of purpose and value – things I had lost when I was playing.
“I know how much it can be alone and difficult in the grip of addiction. If I could use my experience to help others, as I was helped, it was something I absolutely wanted to do.
“It was a long trial to start, since I had to reveal my criminal conviction and the prison sentence for theft, linked to my gambling dependence. But all the staff was great and very favorable while they made references and training.”
For Martin, the most rewarding part is to be there for people when they are in a dark place.
“I think it is important that people know that they are not sun when they are going through difficult moments. Sometimes it may seem hopeless, so just being there and being encouraging and edifying is really rewarding.”
Step
For both volunteers, being an online supporter has been transformative.
“If you are thinking of volunteering, I would say, take the pace,” says Martin. “You have nothing to lose and you (and those who support) have so much to earn.”
“Feeling as if my life was blocked in a routine at the moment meant that I had to find the motivation to be applied somewhere, but I’m so happy to have done it,” Nigel said.
“Soon you will realize that the support you are providing is making a huge difference for people’s lives. There is no bigger incentive to volunteer than this, so try us!”
Could you use your experience lived in gambling damage to support others? Find out more about how to become a voluntary online supporter and apply today.
The post “My only regret? Don’t do it before!” He appeared first on Gamcare.
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This week of volunteers, we are highlighting the work of our incredible supporters of even online peers. We talked to Nigel and Martin, two volunteers who have suffered damage to gambling and now use their experiences to help others. “My only regret? Do not volunteer before,” says Nigel, who was a supporter by even online…