After starting at Find a Voice in September as a volunteer I have been amazed at the progress Becky and Liz are making, and the speed at which they are doing it. I started as a volunteer working at the resource library and am now Services Manager. I have many different aspects to my role, but the main area being the resource library and outreach service.

Running the outreach service has brought me into direct contact with many of the people using our equipment, and the professionals that work with them.  This has given me a unique look at how people use the equipment and its benefits and disadvantages. This gives me a greater understanding of what is suitable for some people and what is not. It is also good to see how relieved some people are to be able to communicate and the ability to share their sense of humour and personality once again.

But the resource library doesn’t just loan communication aids, there is a vast collection of switch adapted toys and sensory equipment as well. These are often used as a route to using a communication aid.

I also run the sensory here at Find a Voice. With the help of Denise and Eryll, the sensory runs on Mondays and Tuesdays every week, with the plan that every student will have a structured lesson so the sensory is used to educate as well as relax. My job in the sensory is to oversee the running and sort any issues with equipment, to work with staff to create lesson plans for each student and to generally keep everyone happy.

The other part to my job is teaching. I teach the ASDAN course at Find a Voice and am very excited about the new course we have starting. Functional Skills will give students a GCSE equivalent qualification. So with the PSD (Personal and Social Development) and Functional Skills I also oversee the I.C.T. lesson.

At some point in the future I hope I will have time in the day to eat, sleep and relax. Until then I will be running on the adrenalin this jobs gives me.