My Crisis Christmas: Volunteering with the homeless

As part of a long queue of volunteers waiting to sign in and receive a name-badge, I still had little idea of what to expect from three days as a general volunteer for the Crisis centre in Islington. I was apprehensive about my first real contact with some of London’s homeless, and hoped I would be up to the challenges, in a crisis which leaves so many people with no place to go at Christmas.

Crisis is the National Charity for single homeless people, and Crisis Open Christmas is one of its projects, providing centres across London from 23 – 30 December. It has been running for 35 years and this year eight separate centres catered for about 1,500 homeless.

I was apprehensive about my first real contact with some of London’s homeless, and hoped I would be up to the challenges

It is not only food and a place to sleep that the guests come for, but services ranging from healthcare, to advice on housing, to work and learning support. There was the opportunity to get a hair-cut and a new set of clothes, to enjoy entertainment from films to football matches; or to simply sit and chat with other guests or volunteers.

My anxiety in volunteering did not last long, as I soon realised the benefit of breaking down the barriers between volunteers and guests, a key philosophy of the project. After a while you begin to stop noticing who is wearing a badge and who is not; at one point another volunteer mistook me for a guest and asked whether I would like to use the showers - to which I replied, ‘No, thanks, I had one yesterday!’

At my centre the team of volunteers was divided in to various roles. A popular phrase among volunteers was ‘Ask a ‘green-badge’, referring to those in charge. There were also key volunteers who assigned tasks and ensured the smooth running of the centre. More specifically trained volunteers (such as dentists and chefs) provided the services on offer; and finally, the general volunteers, like myself, moved from task to task, doing anything from serving food to cleaning toilets.

I was rarely bored and always busy in doing many different jobs with at least one other volunteer. In completing these jobs, I not only increased in confidence but met many new people and gained greater insight in to what the lives of some of the guests are like.

Over the three days my tasks included ‘Gap Duty’, which meant standing by an exit or entrance and explaining the services provided to the guests, or preventing a guest from entering a storeroom or volunteers-only area.

I also helped to serve and clear meals, accompanied a driver in transporting guests to the Dependency Centre (for those with drug and/or alcohol dependencies), lent a hand sorting out books in the library, became part of the team on the front door welcoming people in to the centre, and even used my language-skills translating for Spanish-speaking guests!

He told me about his experiences in London living in low-cost accommodation with people of his own nationality in an area where unemployment and alcoholism were high

Volunteers are expected to work hard but there is a lively, positive atmosphere and you are never pushed in to doing something you do not want to do. I admired the friendly but firm character of the organisers who were always alert to potentially dangerous situations, and quick to notice a fellow volunteer’s discomfort.

If a volunteer looked anxious in their task they were soon transferred to another. On the whole the atmosphere was one of peace and I did not witness any acts of violence, although I did see an argument between two of the guests and a ‘green-badge’ gave me his glasses to look after before proceeding to intervene.

Equally important in the roles of a general volunteer was to talk and listen to the guests. While some guests were withdrawn, others shy, and some even resentful towards the volunteers, many liked the opportunity to talk to us and tell us their stories.

It was obvious that she wanted company so the other volunteer went over for a chat. She was obviously delighted to have a young man sitting next to her!

I had a conversation in Spanish with one of the guests, a Portuguese, about our shared interest in Spanish culture and literature. He also told me about his experiences in London living in low-cost accommodation with people of his own nationality in an area where unemployment and alcoholism were high; and his depression following the separation from his wife. He had recently been discharged from hospital and had nowhere to go for Christmas.

While on Gap Duty with a fellow volunteer we were approached by an old lady who asked us what she was supposed to be doing, and concluded that she would sit down and wait until someone came to talk to her. It was obvious that she wanted company so the other volunteer went over for a chat. She was obviously delighted to have a young man sitting next to her! She told him that her husband had died and about her son who had been in trouble over his violent behaviour. No welcoming family to invite her for Christmas then.

While I thoroughly enjoyed being swept up in the general enthusiasm at the centre, it was only in looking back on the days that I realised how much more should be done.

Stories such as these are common and serve to show that there are complex reasons behind a person becoming homeless or extremely lonely; it is not for us to judge when we could so easily, given different circumstances, have been in a similar situation ourselves.

On returning home at 4 p.m. on Christmas Day my own excitement about seeing my family and opening presents was diminished in the regret that so many people at the centre seemed to lead a life of loneliness and hardship. While I thoroughly enjoyed being swept up in the general enthusiasm at the centre, it was only in looking back on the days that I realised how much more should be done.

By my last day, 27th December, I was on friendly terms with some of the volunteers and guests, and was putting up my hand for any task on offer. It is recommended to volunteer at least three days in order to become fully involved in the centre and confident in your role.

This year, the centres were short of volunteers and any extra hands were gratefully received. In particular the centres were calling for people with specialist skills, people like opticians, dentists and hairdressers. Many at my centre had volunteered with Crisis before; they were familiar with the way in which the centre was run and encouraged the new volunteers to return.

Having been a part of the team at Crisis Open Christmas I would definitely like to volunteer again next year. Even though I spent more time with the homeless than my family on Christmas Day, it was far more enjoyable than watching Christmas TV and reaching for yet another mince pie.

Despite my mixed feelings in coming face to face with people who, for one reason or another, have a lot to bear in their lives; I felt that Crisis took a positive and cheerful step in giving both guests and volunteers a brighter Christmas.

If you are interested in volunteering for Crisis Open Christmas, or to find our more about its year-round projects, visit the Crisis website to find out more.

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