Danielle
Category: Independent Visitor Scheme
Danielle became involved in the independent visitors scheme at the age of 13 years. Her older sister Claire had been matched with a volunteer for over a year and told Danielle it was a good experience.
“At first, it seemed scary. When I walked into NIACRO, it was a massive building, but everyone was really nice.
“The scheme co-ordinator was great and you could talk to her about any problems you had. I had to fill in a questionnaire about the kind of person I would like to be matched with before I met Kate, but it’s unbelievable how well you are matched up!
“Kate is just like another friend, you don’t feel like you’ve been matched up through a scheme. I see my mates and I see Kate, there’s no difference. We meet up for coffee, dinner or a movie.
“It helps having a friend who comes from a different background and can give me advice, especially when she tells me that ex-boyfriends weren’t good enough. You need to hear that stuff sometimes. It’s good though. Kate is there when I need to talk, or even when you don’t want to talk. She keeps me out of trouble!
“It’s flexible as well. I was doing my GCSE’s and Kate didn’t want to interrupt my studying. Sometimes I needed the interruption, so she would take me out for a quick coffee and then tell me to go back and study!
“She encourages me to do whatever I want to do and I’m going to apply to do a social work degree at university. She also helped me apply for part-time jobs.
“Kate and I phone each other every New Years Eve and things like that. I was on a trip not long ago and I called Kate when I landed. She wants to know that I arrived okay and I want to let her know.
“It’s just me and Kate. Sometimes the NIACRO co-ordinator checks in to see that we’re both okay and that’s good too. Once or twice a year, we also meet up with all the other people on the scheme. It’s nice to see everyone and I’ve made friends out of it.
“I’m going to study for my A-levels this year and I want to go to university in Belfast. Kate lives close by to it, so if I get in, it will be easy to keep meeting up. I know the scheme ends when I’m 18, but we’ll stay friends.