Volunteer Stories - Pearl

Volunteers' Week 2026

I’m Pearl and I volunteer as a Support Volunteer with Victim Support Scotland. I’ve been in the role since May 2025. I’ve volunteered at different times throughout my life and for different reasons. When I was younger, things like Duke of Edinburgh encouraged me to get involved, try new things and get out meeting people. If you’re not sure what you want to do, volunteering can be a really good way of testing things out and building experience.

Now that I’m retired, I felt like I needed a bit of purpose and routine again. I wanted to be part of a team and volunteering fitted really well because it’s flexible and works around life. I juggle volunteering alongside childcare for my grandchildren and spending time with friends, so being able to do it on your own terms is important. I heard an advert for volunteering with Victim Support Scotland on the radio and just thought, “yeah, I could do that.”

I’ve found helping other people really rewarding and I’ve gained new skills and training too. I also enjoy the social side and meeting new people. I think when you’re older and retired it’s important to stay active. One thing I really like about the role is that every day is different. You never know exactly who you’ll be speaking to or what the day will bring.

Something that has really stayed with me is hearing the change in people over time. At first, you can hear in somebody’s voice that they’ve reached out because they need support, but over time you can hear them becoming stronger and more positive. When somebody eventually says, “I don’t think I need you to phone me anymore,” it makes it all worthwhile. If you’ve made a difference to even one person, then you’ve done your job.

If somebody was thinking about volunteering, I’d say definitely try it out because you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised. Never think you can’t do it because you’ll always get training and support.