This week we have a guest blog from Elaine Corner, Volunteering Project Manager at Step Together. It’s been great working with the team from Step Together and to have their support in making this project possible. Here, Elaine talks us through the background to Step Together and their involvement in the project.
Step Together is a national charity that provides one to one support to help people who may be excluded from society into volunteering. I have been working for Step Together supporting wounded, injured and sick (WIS) service personnel and Veterans into volunteering for over seven years. For many years we have helped to provide volunteers for Operation Nightingale archaeological digs. When I heard about the idea for Operation Nightingale to join with Butser Ancient Farm to build a Bronze Age Roundhouse based on the findings of the dig at Dunch Hull it seemed like an ideal project to get involved in.
Step Together were able to access funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund which enabled the project to become so much more than just building a roundhouse. I then set about finding veterans to take part in the project. Some of them had previously been involved in Operation Nightingale activities, some were already engaging with Step Together and looking for some volunteering. Others came forward when the project was advertised throughout the Forces community as they were interested in finding out more. Covid 19 put paid to the plan we had for interested volunteers to visit Butser in November, but we were able to hold Zoom get togethers to explain more about the project and to help those who were interested in doing research about Bronze Age life.
We were finally able to get the volunteers onsite for a visit in March and get the build started in April. The funding Step Together secured has enabled us to provide pack lunches for the veterans and assist with travel costs to ensure that no-one was excluded due to cost. The funding also enabled us run workshops about various aspects of Bronze Age life which has really helped the volunteers gain more understanding about how the people lived and the challenges they faced.
I have been responsible for coordinating who is attending each session and ensuring their wellbeing needs were met. Step Together have also been conducting wellbeing surveys throughout the project so we will be able to evidence how the project has benefitted those taking part. It has been fantastic to see new friendships forged and new skills learned. The project has really helped the veterans taking part move forward with their lives and start looking to the future. Once the build is completed, those taking part will be able to continue volunteering at Butser and take their new-found confidence out into the world.
“Volunteering on the project is so therapeutic and relaxing. I have learned so much and met some great people and everyone is so kind. It is an experience like no other!” Jackie, veteran volunteer
