Why volunteer?

You are a member of the legal profession. You have sailed through school, home and university. You are high achieving, hardworking and generally do a good job.  You are not a skiver; in fact, you work through colds (a sniffle). You stay late when the crisis with the client arises. You cancel on friends as achieving what the client requires is paramount.   You have a professional identity. Being a lawyer is what it is about. 

Then it happens. The problem starts.

• It may be bullying, overwork or lack of support. You can cope as you always have. You can deliver. You solve other people’s problems. You are a professional.
• Your sleep is affected. You count the hours to the weekend. You try to speak to your partner but they cannot or do not understand. You feel isolated.  When is your next holiday?  
• You make mistakes. You think you make mistakes. You double check your work. You avoid your colleagues. You can cope. Working hard will solve it. It must be your fault. You are not ill. You can cope.
• It is 6pm on Friday night/ 10 am on Sunday/ 9am on Tuesday. You crack.  

You recall in the past that someone told you about LawCare. It’s something to do with lawyers, they said. You phone. The phone is answered. It is anonymous and someone speaks to you. They listen. They do not judge. They do not know you but they care.  The world seems to be a better place. You are not alone. There may well be a way forward. Motivated you take a step forward into the unknown but it is a step forward and not back.

That is why I volunteer. I am that person, but which person? The listener or the person phoning?

None of us are immune from personal situations with which we are unable to deal.

We can volunteer for LawCare and bring professional and personal understanding and empathy and support. We can add value by listening and helping. We can and do make a difference.

Remember that person was able to ask for help. Help was given and they survived.  The future might be different from what they thought it looked like, but there was and is a future. That is why I volunteer.