From textbooks to real lives: How volunteering helped Paula find her path

Meet Paula, she was studying Psychology when she started to feel a bit... wobbly about it all. Not in a bad way, just in that floating-above-your-own-head kind of way. The lectures were interesting. The textbooks were full of long words. But something was missing.

She wanted to stop thinking about people and start meeting them. Not just analysing behaviours but understanding real stories, real lives, real emotions. So, she signed up to volunteer through the Volunteer to Career (VtC) programme.

She didn’t have any experience in mental health yet. But she had courage, a deep curiosity about people, and a strong desire to learn.

“I was starting off a postgraduate course in Psychology,” Paula said, “and the opportunity to get to know people from different backgrounds, alongside the support from the team, enhanced my passion and knowledge in the field.”

Her first volunteer placement was with the North Westminster Home Treatment Team (HTT). And straight away, it felt like stepping into a completely different world. There were home visits, gentle chats and crisis calls. She observed nurses, listened in on meetings, and watched psychiatrists ask question. There was a lot to learn, but Paula soaked it up like a sponge.

“I had no experience in the mental health setting,” she said, “but I had always had a great passion for different aspects of people’s lives.”

She began to see how people could go through really hard times and still find little glimmers of hope. She offered non-clinical support; talking, listening, and providing reassurance, while always being mindful of her volunteer boundaries. And as she listened, she learned.

“I developed skills like confident communication and a non-judgmental approach,” Paula said. “Active listening is so important in this kind of work.”

But Paula didn’t stop there. She wanted to see more and understand more. So, she asked for another volunteer placement. With help from VtC programme, she moved into a new role at St Charles Mental Health Hospital as a Care Support volunteer.

It was different. Busier. More fast-paced. But also full of learning. At St Charles Mental Health Hospital, everything moved more quickly, with lots of people working together and lots happening at once. Paula started to see how care carried on in hospital settings; how people were supported on the ward, how plans were made, and how recovery wasn't one straight line. It zig-zags. It loops. It pauses and picks up again, and it looks different for everyone. And that was okay.

As Paula got more involved, she began to understand the bigger picture. “Working with mental health makes you experience a multitude of feelings,” Paula said, “and one of the most predominant for me is the feeling of being truly human. You resonate with people’s experiences, and every patient teaches you something new.” That sense of connection and awareness shaped the way she saw her next steps. “I believe that was a rather valuable experience for my next role working in the psychiatric ward.”

She wouldn’t have made the leap without VtC. They didn’t just hand her a role and say “off you go.” They walked alongside her. Checked in. Gave honest feedback. Encouraged her to see her own potential.

And then came the moment Paula speaks about with such certainty: “The VtC programme was the cornerstone of my transition from HTT to the bank HCA role at St Charles. I would like to thank the dedication and support of Ania Adams who backed me up during the whole process, from the initial consideration of the role, aspects of the new career and feedback provided from my experience in the HTT. That was a crucial help towards this transition and subsequently to the expansion of my career in mental health in the NHS.”

Before long, her supervisors began giving her glowing feedback. She started to feel less like ‘just a volunteer’ and more like someone who belonged on the team.

“I received great feedback from my team, which really boosted my confidence,” Paula said. “And after talking to patients who had been discharged and even some who returned, I felt ready to embark on this new journey.”

That sense of belonging and VtC support gave her the courage to apply for a paid job, and she got it. Paula became a Bank Healthcare Assistant.

One moment, though, has always stayed with her. She recalls walking with someone to their clinic appointment - someone receiving support for their mental health. It was a quiet walk, but deeply meaningful. 

“That moment was really important for me,” she says. “I understood what triggered their symptoms. I realised how powerful it is just to feel cared for.”

Now, Paula often reflects on how far she’s come and not just in her career, but in her understanding of herself and others.

“Working in mental health makes you feel truly human,” she says. “Every person teaches you something.”

She knows there’s no one-size-fits-all path. Some people arrive early, others a little later. Some come with books in their hands, others with stories to tell. However, you get there, what matters most is that you care, and that you’re ready to learn.

And if you’re wondering whether this path could be for you, Paula has just one piece of advice: “Embrace each step with passion, determination, and kindness.”