In this blog, Jess, a Hull Independent Visitors Service volunteer, tells us why she loves her role.
Three years ago, if you’d told me I’d be volunteering my time with young people, talking about school, mental health, and occasionally debating what counts as a reasonable amount of popcorn, I wouldn’t have realised how fulfilling the experience would become.
Yet here we are!
For the past three years, I’ve been volunteering as an Independent Visitor for two brothers through the Hull Independent Visitors Service. At the time, I was working as a Mental Health Practitioner within the NHS and realised something: I wanted more hands-on experience with young people. Actual, real-world, “what do young people actually need right now?” experience.
I also wanted to use the skills I already had in a way that felt meaningful, without pretending I had all the answers (because I absolutely didn’t).
Signing up turned out to be far less daunting than expected. Meeting the children during the interviews and training was a big part of that; the sessions were insightful and reassuring, rather than ‘box-ticky’ or overwhelming. I left feeling prepared rather than nervous.
Since the end of 2023, I’ve been consistently spending time with the young people I’m matched with. Activities have ranged from being kindly invited to Yorkshire Wildlife Park with the service, to cinema trips, to arcades.
Working with brothers brings its own unique challenges – especially when they’re like chalk and cheese. They can bicker, and there’s moments where it feels like you’re refereeing more than supporting. But over time, we adapted the way we approached our time together.
By creating space for the children to feel heard individually, and giving them more choice in what we do, the sessions became less about firefighting and more enjoyable. Not only did this help them feel understood, but it also made me feel at ease – I could focus on building trust and offer guidance without feeling like I had to solve everything in the moment.
And here’s the important bit!
By bonding through consistent time together, I’ve learnt that the impact of this service is huge. As an Independent Visitor, you’re not there to fix everything or have all the answers. You’re there to listen, to be dependable, to be someone they trust enough to talk to – often without being prompted – about school, their mental health, and the stuff that’s bothering them.
Those unplanned conversations are where the real work happens. It takes time for the trust to really build, but once it’s there, it’s there. We’ve reached a point where we can have a laugh, take the mick, but also have serious conversations when they’re needed. There’s mutual respect, clear boundaries, and an understanding of what’s acceptable.
When I first signed up, my internal monologue was doing laps:
“How much difference can I really make?”
“Am I going to be any good at this?”
“Do I actually have enough experience?”
What I’ve realised since is this: it’s less about what you know. Young people nowadays are exposed to more information, opinions, and noise than ever before – keeping up with that is almost impossible. What actually matters is whether you care.
And if you care enough to listen, to turn up, to be reliable, and to treat young people with respect, then you’re already most of the way there. The rest, you learn along the way.
So, if you’re considering becoming an Independent Visitor and wondering whether you’d be “good enough” – chances are, that question alone means you probably would be.
And honestly, it might just be one of the most rewarding things you ever sign up for.
Click here to find out more about Hull Independent Visitors Service.