It’s Volunteers’ Week and we’d like to thank everyone who volunteers with us to support our community and raise the profile of our profession. Paul Wilkinson is one of our many valued volunteers at RCOT. He’s Vice Chair for the RCOT Northern and Yorkshire region. We caught up with Paul to learn more about his career and hear why he chooses to volunteer with RCOT.
Tell us about your day job and what attracted you to a career in occupational therapy.
I’m a senior occupational therapist currently working on a regional hyper acute stroke unit. This involves holistically assessing and providing interventions for individuals who have been diagnosed with a stroke. Occupational therapy attracted me as it involves problem solving, creativity and thinking outside the box to achieve the best outcomes for individuals.
What’s your volunteering role with RCOT all about?
I am currently the Vice Chair and co social media lead for the Northern and Yorkshire Region. I have volunteered for RCOT for two years now. The positions attracted me as I wanted to give more to my region, and further develop my leadership skills.
My role involves monitoring and maintaining the region’s social media accounts, promoting events via social media, deputising in the absence of the chair, representing the region at twice yearly forum meetings, to cascade information, to provide support to the regional members, promote the profession and assist members of the committee with organising events.
How has volunteering helped you, personally and professionally?
Volunteering has helped me to develop and enhance skills such as communication, leadership, strategic thinking and planning, organisational, creative thinking and problem solving. I feel my confidence has grown, and I’ve been exposed to fantastic development opportunities. Since volunteering I now feel I have a better understanding of what RCOT offers.
Would you recommend volunteering?
If you’re in doubt or apprehensive about volunteering just remember this famous quote, ‘A ship is safe in harbour, but that’s not what ships are for’. If we don’t take risks, we don’t grow… and equally you will never know.
Get involved
We advertise volunteering opportunities throughout the year. Follow us on social media to hear about these and keep a look out for email invitations when we have new vacancies. Find out more about current ways to get involved.