Stories from the Edge - Volunteer Now

The woman who had lost out so much in her childhood education, was rapidly absorbing the lessons of community work.Her natural intelligence found no difficulty coping. The community organised a toddlers and parents groups and otherneighbourhood projects but something was missing, Isabel explains. Then the bigger picture became apparent whenNorthern Ireland Voluntary Trust worker Monina O’Prey paid a visit to the area. Isabel remembers Monina walking aroundthe area with its high unemployment rate and struggling single parent families. "Monina could see that despite their socialexclusion people in this area took pride in themselves and in their homes," she said. NIVT agreed to help the SpringhillCommunity by providing training and much needed cash. The cash was indeed much needed in Strabane because the townwas in the shadow of Derry. Although Isabel was still a volunteer she and others soon found themselves working asemployers giving much needed work to local men and women.The mild mannered mother did not receive any fiscal reward for her community work. She met with visiting Americanswho further widened her awareness of community work. The Springhill Community produced a development programmewhich lead to a trip to the United States. At a prestigious gathering in Sioux Falls Isabel learned how the other side did it.Her aspirations now knew no bounds. During a second trip to the USA, Isabel got the idea of a crafts centre, producing bitsand bobs. Everyone thought she was mad but her idea was soon up and running. In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Isabel wasasked to speak. It was the first time this mother of six had ever uttered a word in public. Nothing in her past life hadprepared her for this moment. She stood up with a knotted stomach while all eyes became fixed on this small , shy,attractive mum who had never been outside Northern Ireland. The silence was overpowering. Then from somewhere deepinside her psyche she remembers the words coming out. And she spoke in clear precise tones. She said her community waslooking for £20,000. The silence continued but now had become more significant. Perhaps it was her inexperience, perhapsher innate charm and pleasant Strabane accent that is as soft as the early autumn rain. Or maybe it was more mundane.Her sales pitch highlighted the links between Strabane and past US president Thomas Woodrow Wilson. The Americanswere clearly hooked. Isabel got what she wanted and more. Her success lead to the local Training and Development Agencynoticing the plight of Strabane and coming forward with other offers.Today the Springhill Park Community and Development Association employs a Development Worker plus various otherswho have been given back the esteem, so cruelly destroyed by Strabane's forgotten unemployment. The group hasmanaged to secure a community centre that brings together those young mums who were once isolated in their homes.Isabel's pride and joy is the play park that now exists in Springhill. "It was the first play area in Strabane. It's hard to believethat in this day and age, children do not have a basic play park,” she notes.But all is not right with the hard working volunteer community worker. She admits she felt a sense of guilt while on hersecond trip to Pennsylvania. Isabel felt that she should have been accompanied by her friends and neighbours fromSpringhill. It was similar to the guilt she felt when some wise cracking local remarked she is doing well out of thecommunity work. The implication was that she was making money. Isabel believes that the cash incentive destroysvolunteer work. It introduces self interest. It is the surrogate mother once more speaking when she claims her work hasbeen for the children. "If and when I am confined to my bed I'll still be doing as much community work as I am able todo," she vows.