A day in the life of… A Creative Volunteer with Open Age!

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to use your creativity to help others?

Step inside Open Age’s creative arts workshops, where older adults are building confidence, sparking friendships, and discovering the joy of trying something new. In this interview, Lucy, a Creative Arts Volunteer at Open Age shares their experience.

What activities do the attendees enjoy the most?

As a Creative Volunteer, I’ve noticed that older people really enjoy experimenting with different crafts.

Activities like napkin decoupage, making creative greeting cards (including origami-style paper folding), and other decorative paper crafts are always popular.

These sessions often include sculpture, decorative arts, and painting, giving people the chance to try a variety of creative techniques in a fun, relaxed way.

Have you seen any changes in the members of your group since the sessions began?  

I’ve seen a real difference in confidence, skills, and overall well-being. Through the Creative Arts workshops, attendees have learned new crafts and feel more confident expressing themselves and giving things a go.

Some who were quite unsure at first have really come out of their shell, started sharing ideas, and taking pride in what they make.

The sessions feel relaxed and supportive, which helps everyone feel comfortable trying something new without any pressure. It’s also been great to see people chatting more, building connections, and feeling part of a group.

The workshops have also encouraged many of our older members to try other classes at Open Age. They work well as a gentle introduction, helping people take that first step into getting involved in more activities and feeling more connected.

Tell us about how becoming a Creative Arts Volunteer has impacted you.

It’s rewarding because I’m learning alongside the group. I get to explore new crafts, figure out solutions when things don’t go as planned, and research ideas for future projects. It’s a great way to keep expanding my own skills while helping others enjoy being creative too.

If this sort of role sounds fun to you, you can check out other opportunities to do with Creativity, Arts and Media, or opportunities supporting Older People here on the Westminster Connects Platform. Open Age are currently recruiting for several roles, including Sewing, Knitting and Jewellery Making Volunteers.

We want this to become a regular series, so if you want to tell us more about the volunteering role – contact us at [email protected]