At RSBC, we have some remarkable volunteers, some who have been with us for many years. One of those volunteers is, Steve. He’s been with us for over 12+ years and supported with almost 400 activities and counting.

After seeing an advert in the London Evening Standard paper to help young blind and partially sighted young people access activities and opportunities, he wanted to get involved. More than a decade later, Steve is still volunteering and has no plans to stop anytime soon.

"One of the other volunteers recently asked if I would stop when I turned 70, but I said because I still enjoy it, I won't stop until I no longer enjoy volunteering here."

This Volunteers Week, we spoke to Steve to reminisce over the years he’s been with us and dive into what it’s been like for him.

Watching young people grow

One of the things Steve values most is seeing young people develop in confidence over time.

"I've gone through a couple of generations," he says. "There are young people who first started coming when they were 10 and are now in their twenties."

Over the years, he's seen young people discover new interests, build friendships and grow into confident young adults. Some have gone on to achieve things they never imagined when they first walked through the doors. There's one young person who now coaches Goalball, Steve mentions, despite probably never having heard of the sport when she first started attending activities. For Steve, it's these journeys that make volunteering so rewarding.

Helping young people feel connected

As well as supporting activities, Steve often helps young people travel to and from sessions, ensuring they can access opportunities and spend time with friends. For some, that support can be the difference between attending an activity and missing out. For him, his priority is getting young people together and making everyone feel welcome and included. You might have a young person who's very quiet when they walk into the room, he says, but as soon as they're with the group, they're chatting away with everyone. Seeing friendships form and confidence grow remains one of his favourite parts of volunteering.

He also enjoys getting to know parents and carers. If there are new parents attending activities, Steve takes the opportunity to introduce himself, chat about the wider range of activities available through RSBC and help them feel part of the community from the start.

Memorable moments along the way

Over the years, Steve has thrown himself into activities he never expected to try, from boxing, Zumba and riding a tandem bicycle to cooking sessions and Christmas choirs. Among his standout memories were workshops with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, where attendees created their own music. He's also enjoyed trips to Brighton, the Houses of Parliament, Kew Gardens, the London International Horse Show and even visited Big Ben with our young people. His dedication has been recognised too. In 2016 Steve was part of the RSBC volunteer team that received the Mayor of London's 'Volunteer Team of The Year' award. And in 2019 he was nominated for and won London Youths 'Volunteer of The Year'.

Being part of RSBC

One of Steve's earliest volunteering memories was sighted guiding a young person called Alex, who now works at RSBC as our Senior Accessibility Advisor. Over the years, they've become good friends, and Steve mentioned how Alex called to wish him a happy 70th birthday, which meant a lot. Moments like these are why Steve says volunteering really feels like being part of a RSBC.

After more than 12 years of volunteering, Steve's impact can be seen in the young people he's supported, the friendships he's built and the opportunities he's helped make possible.

Thank you Steve for everything! 

Interested in volunteering with us? Find out more and get in touch here – Volunteer – Royal Society for Blind Children