I'm finding this voluntary work much harder than I expected

[Greekrunner]

Emotionally, it's taking it's toll.

I help out at the Emergency Nighshelter. It's something done in our town every winter, beds are set up in a different church each night, guests arrive 7pm and leave by 8am. They are given only light refreshments (there are other options around town for a hot meal during the day), the opportunity to wash and some of the bases have laundry facilities.

I've been doing 2 shifts a week, going in at 6:30am, when the night shift leave, to rouse the guests, give them breakfast and clear up. It's important that by 8:30am no one would know we'd ever been there.

The local council are unsupportive, they'd prefer not to have a shelter, citing that it encourages rough sleepers from elsewhere, to come to the town (it does) but once we have them we are able to signpost guests to various other support agencies for health, addiction, mental health, housing etc There has been some good news with rooms being found for 2 of the most vulnerable guests.

The guests are not at all want I expected. There are some addicts, but everyone clean, articulate, friendly, polite and so so thankful for the little help they're getting. Hey eveb leave cheerfully in the morning whatever the weather. They're all just like you and me, except that the time they were really struggling they had no support network. Some even have jobs.

Naively, I signed up at a time when I was struggling myself, thinking it would give me a sense of purpose and show me my life's pretty good really. It does but I'm still struggling with it.

I can't bear having to send them out into the cold at 8am, hearing about people being turned away because we were full or because they turned up under the influence (rules to keep other guests and volunteers safe). We lost a guest to suicide this week and another was turned out of hospital just after midnight, with no where to go, following an overdose.

I'm finding it so upsetting that there are so many people in this situation and that even the churches (although they do provide their premises) would prefer to pretend they don't exist.

Is this a normal response, should I never have got involved, how do I manage better?

that sounds tough and not easy can you think if it as at least they have had a decent sleep and some food to set them up for the day?

It is absolutely OK to stop doing it if it isn't for you though.

It's just your compassion and empathy responding to the difficulty of this situation. You sound like you are having a human response. Can you talk to other volunteers or offload somehow? I think it's important to remember that you can't change this overall situation, but you can do a little bit to perhaps help in a really shit situation. If this all sounds too overwhelming then I would agree with stepping back tho, it's up to you to decide what you can or cannot or will not tolerate.

Do you not have a system for volunteer support? There should be managers or supervisors to whom you can offload (as obviously you can't talk to friends and family).
But actually your post is very positive, as you like the clients and see value in the work. You maybe need to look at the positives of what the service can provide, not the negatives of what it can't do.
And remember that it's not anyone's role to "rescue" clients - if you believe that, then you will set yourself up to fail.
So keep going - sounds like a good project!

You sound amazing to do this. I work for a homeless charity and whilst I'm not frontline I an aware of some of the terrible trauma that these people have been through. I think it would be good for you to turn your thinking around a little if you can.. obviously it's terrible that people take their own lives but there could be several people that you deal with in the course of the night that may have also committed suicide but didn't b because of the shelter and the kindness and compassion you show them. I think you may be feeling that you are only making a tiny dent in a dreadful situation but even if one person feels better from their interaction with you that is a massive achievement. I'm sure you deal with them with a lot of humanity and this is something that they don't always receive. I think if it is affecting you too much you should take a break but you must make a difference to so many lives.

Do you have a list of local Warm Hubs you can direct your service users to?

Yes, the team leaders have loads of resources to direct guests to.

You're struggling with what the project isn't able to offer - but without volunteers like you these projects couldn't run and think how much worse it would be for these people then. Not said to guilt you into feeling you have to continue of course! Because no matter how great the project is you do have to put your own MH first of course.

You sound like a bloody wonderful volunteer - but make sure you look after yourself too.

I agree with a pp you can't rescue people, you can only help them in the moment, also I have experience of councils and some locals not wanting a particular type of "thing" in the area, you just have to push through it all and see you are doing a good thing.