Why I volunteer with StreetDoctors #NationalVolunteersWeek
StreetDoctors has changed my perspective of knife crime massively. I have had an insight into the reality that in certain under-privileged areas, knife crime is very prevalent. So, although StreetDoctors is about teaching young people in an attempt to end youth violence, I myself have learned so much. This has only intensified my desire to participate more and help with ending youth violence. Personally, the vital message for me was that whether a young person is either the perpetrator or target of a stabbing, they are both in fact victims. It is a vicious cycle to be involved in, and very difficult to come out of. StreetDoctors helps to make it easier for young people to understand the medical consequences of violence and offers them the opportunity to make their own decision to leave a knife at home and step in to help in situations where they can save a life! Knowing that my teaching could potentially save lives is enough motivation for me to volunteer.
I have managed to tick off a huge personal goal with StreetDoctors, and that was the completion of the Big London Half Marathon in March. I have never run competitively before, and didn’t have much time to train for the run beforehand; it was fair to say I was far from race fit. But I was eager to get more involved with the charity and to challenge myself, and that I did! I completed the run and raised over £450. It is something I’ve always wanted to do and having the opportunity to raise money for StreetDoctors gave me that added motivation to actually go out and do it.
StreetDoctors is a very enthusiastic and an exciting organisation to be a part of. It is not only my StreetDoctors Manchester team, but at a national level, everyone is in the same boat keen to be volunteering their time to teach. I have worked with different members of the Manchester team, and I learn from every volunteer I teach with. This helps me to adapt my teaching to be the best that it can be. Being a StreetDoctors volunteer has allowed me to share knowledge by teaching vulnerable young people and it also gives me something productive that I can look forward to every fortnight or so. I have taught many young people who have been involved in serious knife crime incidents, with some being as young as 10. To be able to have a positive influence on young people in my community is incredibly rewarding, and is why I volunteer.
Adnan Nasser (StreetDoctors Manchester Volunteer)