I have been in different mental health hospitals for 3 years. In these 3 years, I have engaged with the occupational therapy team to support my recovery and successful transition to the community. Coming to Cygnet Hospital Colchester, the occupational therapy team on the rehabilitation ward have been supporting me to engage in different vocational opportunities.
I started doing voluntary work at go4 Café in Colchester. I have been engaging with every volunteer and staff members, chatting and socialising with them to try my best to know them and get on with them. At the moment things are going very well, I am always willing to help everyone and do my best.
I started interacting with the customers and always trying to engage with them while serving, very polite and attentive, very calm and always asking questions about things to learn as much as possible.
I am learning how to cook and not only how to make sandwiches, also learning how to make proper and healthy food. At go4 Café I have learnt how to make coffee, serving, using the till, serving whippy ice cream, and cooking fresh pastries.
I’m also helping to water and take care of the community garden next to the cafe and helping at the little cafe allotment doing some building work, watering and planting veg.
Because the team want me to feel welcomed, last weekend they had a little gathering at the cafe and had all of us sitting at the same time having dinner together. I did engage very well with everyone, chatting and listening and engaging in normal conversations about life.
This voluntary work has helped me to lean lots of things that will support me to live independently in the community.