Considering volunteering for the SOS Buses? Read what SOS Bus Volunteer Liam Cross has to say about the role
How long have you volunteered on the SOS Bus?
10 Months approximately
What appealed to you to sign up as an SOS Bus volunteer?
After talking to a friend who was also a volunteer on the bus and hearing from them about some their experiences and how worth while it was I decided to apply to volunteer for the bus and see for myself and I haven’t looked back since.
What do you enjoy about volunteering on the SOS Bus?
The unpredictability that each night provides and the different scenarios that I have found myself in from assisting someone to get home because they have got lost and don’t know how they are going to get how all the way up to having escort someone to A&E because they have been injured in a confrontation.
What perks do you get from volunteering?
Volunteering on the bus provides me with an a good reference on my CV as provides skills that I would have never otherwise got, plus with the training and other opportunities that can arise from volunteering with open road enhances my skills as a person.
What challenges do you face from the role?
Working in a night time economy environment has many challenges such as trying to communicate with people who have taken substances or are too heavily under the influence and are not very coherent, but there are other challenges such as wanting to help people who may not want or feel they may not require any or people who have mental health issues and need somebody just to talk to.
What would you say to someone considering applying to be a volunteer on the SOS Bus?
Doing the SOS Bus is such a rewarding thing to do,there are a variety of people from a multitude of backgrounds that volunteer which creates a diverse team with a variety of strengths and weaknesses but we also share knowledge with each other to try and help each other improve and we also try and have a laugh whilst doing it as well. It is an experience to do and you’ll never regret doing it.
If you have been inspired by Liam’s insight into volunteering with the SOS Bus, and are keen to sign up then we would love to hear from you!
