‘Most rewarding work I’ve ever done’

Iris Brennan, 54, originally from Israel, lives in Lisburn with her partner and says lockdown helped her take the plunge and finally swap her job working in retail for a career in counselling which led to her volunteering at the Belfast Childline base.

Iris explained: “When we all went into lockdown in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, I embraced the opportunity to reflect on a new career path and decided to take the plunge to pursue a career in counselling.

“I’ve always been interested in helping children and young people, so in autumn 2020, I decided to become a Childline volunteer alongside studying a course in Trauma Informed Counselling with Children and Young People. I really want to help as many children as possible and gain knowledge and experience at the same time so it felt like the perfect opportunity.”

Iris described volunteering for Childline as ‘the most rewarding’ work she has ever done.

“At the start of my journey with Childline, naturally, I felt overwhelmed but I was reassured that everyone feels that way at the beginning but I quickly got over feeling that after a few shifts,” she continued.

“I love the fact during every shift, I feel so supportive with the supervisors at hand to help. I personally feel this is very important as it allows you to learn a lot and at the same time deliver a great service in a safe, secure environment. It’s the most rewarding work I’ve ever done.

“I would encourage others out there who have a few hours spare a week to think about volunteering for Childline.”

For information on volunteering, contact [email protected]