“People are people”
Every Tuesday morning, Mike Stevens hops in his car and heads north on Auckland’s Northern Motorway.
Until recently, Mike would be driving in the opposite direction, heading for his job in Auckland’s Newmarket.
“It’s great!” he exclaims. “I love heading north to spend a few hours having a laugh and some interesting chat over a coffee, and whenever the weather allows, a good walk.”
The retired training professional and ex-teacher is on his way to Dementia North’s Ōrewa Walking Group, where volunteers, people living with dementia | mate wareware and care partners come together for a walk, a coffee and good conversation.
For Mike, volunteering was something he always had in the back of his mind. When his parents were older and needed increasing support, he saw first-hand the difference volunteers could make.
“They had so much help from people in terms of helping in the house, taking them to appointments, and just general help that you need over and above what we were able to do while we were working full-time.
“I was always hugely grateful for this voluntary help, and I thought, if I can ever do anything which is indirectly giving back, I’ll go for it.”
After retiring, Mike decided the time was right. Looking through volunteer opportunities online, he came across the walking group. Nearly two years later, it’s become a regular part of his week.
The group meets at a local café before heading out for a walk along Ōrewa Beach or around the estuary. Afterwards, everyone returns for coffee and conversation at a local café.
“It’s a great opportunity to have an informal chat, keeping everyone engaged as much as possible.”
Some people walk for ten minutes while others stride it out over greater distances. Some arrive with confidence, while others take a little time to settle in. For Mike, one of the most rewarding parts of volunteering is seeing what happens over time.
“Some people might be a little bit apprehensive when they’re new, but we always make sure that they feel welcome and comfortable.
“We notice that as they come more often, they start to relax, and you can see that whole evolution in terms of people starting to really enjoy the conversation and looking forward to the group meetings.”
Through programmes like the Ōrewa Walking Group, people living with dementia can stay active, spend time with others and remain connected to their communities. Care partners also have an opportunity to meet others who understand the realities of supporting someone living with dementia.
Volunteers help create the welcoming environment that makes those connections possible.
“I don’t distinguish between people who are the volunteers or the partners of people with dementia and the people living with dementia.
“To me, they’re just all out there enjoying themselves, and we’re all having a chat.”
His advice for anyone considering volunteering is straightforward.
“Just treat everybody how you’d treat anybody – with consideration, thoughtfulness, non-discriminatory, and non-judgmental.
“People are people.”
For Mike, what started as a way of giving back has become one of the highlights of his week. A stretch of his legs, coffee, conversation, a few laughs and the chance to make someone’s week a little brighter – including his own!
Te Wiki Tūao-ā-Motu | National Volunteer Week celebrates the contribution volunteers make in communities across Aotearoa, and we’d like to give a special shout-out to Mike and volunteers like him. We’re grateful to the many people giving their time to help others stay connected, active and engaged.
