Like many people who were adopted as children, Dean Allen got to a point in his life when he decided he’d like to know more about his birth family. It was a journey that changed his life. The only problem was that he did it alone. He didn’t know that adoption intermediaries, who make contact between adopted people and their birth families in a sensitive and professional manner, existed. That is, until he saw a television documentary about adoption reunions, which featured the adoption charity AAA-Norcap and its volunteer intermediaries. “It got me thinking about how exciting and enthralling it must be to get involved in adoption reunions like that,” says Allen.
He is now a volunteer intermediary and a trustee of the charity. Most of the work is done by phone and letter, meaning that he can easily fit it around his day job. “I work in the insurance business and it’s so nice to have this other area of my life where I deal with people and their emotions and I really help them,” says Allen.
There are thousands of opportunities all over the country where people can volunteer the time and skills that suit them. Gone are the days when volunteering was just about giving – today’s volunteers expect, quite rightly, to get something back, adds Jayne Villiers, a volunteer co-ordinator for Crimestoppers. “My volunteering experience has enabled me to meet new people, form new friendships and have a real sense of satisfaction,” she says.