John Turtington shares his volunteering story as part of our National Volunteering Week 2016 #NVW2016 Consider Volunteering Campaign
THERE is sometimes a worry among prospective and new volunteer recruits that volunteering means you have to give up all your free time. But retired volunteer is John Turtington is proof that you have volunteer and also have a busy social life. John registered with the Kerry Volunteer Centre in 2009 and has been involved over the years in a range of projects from youth clubs and drama right through to his current involvement with University Hospital Kerry.
He gives two mornings a week, Monday and Wednesday to his current volunteering and enjoys spending the rest of his time with his wife and family, travelling and of course his impressive garden which is just coming into bloom.
John has taught at the Adult Literacy Centre every Monday morning for the last 18 months, he also volunteers at the hospital every Wednesday morning from 9am through to lunchtime.
“I am involved in a couple of different things in the hospital. I am part of the meet and greet team which is all about helping people find where they are going or who they want to see,” John explained.
“Eight out of ten people have never been into the hospital before and are lost before they even come in the door. The idea is to help them and take the pressure off the main reception, which is always very busy,” he added.
As part of his role John also carries out patient experience surveys, initially in the adult wards but also more recently in the Emergency Department, and was recently co-opted on to the hospitals nutrition committee. He enjoys seeing real results.
“I recently put in a suggestion that instead of someone going ward to ward every day to check out what patients want to eat for their dinner, that they put a printed menu on the breakfast tray for people can fill out,” John revealed.
“It’s currently being run as a pilot scheme in one of the wards but when it’s full implemented it will save a lot of time and waste,” he added.
As well as his regular volunteering John has also worked as a team leader during the Rose of Tralee festival for a number of years. However as the 12 hour days associated with the seven days of the Festival became a bit to much he cut back to a more manageable schedule of just a couple of days.
Though very much integrated into life in Tralee John only moved to Kerry from Dublin a number of years ago. He had always wanted to get involved in Volunteering when time allowed, and retiring gave him that extra time.
“I already decided when I retired that I would do something. I had some very high powered jobs, worked in big companies, ran my own company and got to travel a lot. I wanted to put something back,” John explained.
“I really enjoy it, enjoy passing on the knowledge and expertise that I have to people who need it,” he added.
In particular John has round real inspiration in his student at the Adult Literacy Centre, and is thrilled with what he has helped him achieve over the last 18 months: “I couldn’t be more proud, he has put in amazing effort”.
But what has volunteering meant to John’s life over the last few years: “ When I am at the meet and greet reception in the hospital I get asked all the time about volunteering and what’s involved. Of course there are the things that need to be done, the garda checks, the medical, hand washing seminars. But once these are sorted it really is worth it.”
“It adds a lot to your life,” he added.
According to John the secret to successful and long lasting volunteering is finding the balance, and sticking to it. He advises people to be clear about the time they can give and are willing to give.
“Just because I am retired doesn’t mean that I don’t have my own life to live. I have things I like to do, such as my garden and meeting my friends, and it’s important that I keep time for those as well,” John stressed.
“It’s about making volunteering work for you and your schedule,” he added.
