Tag Archive for: Volunteering at MAIN

Picture of Wayne

Celebrating Wayne’s Internship at MAIN

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Appreciating Wayne’s Art Therapy Internship at MAIN

 

We are delighted to express our heartfelt appreciation for Wayne, who is currently completing his art therapy internship with us at MAIN. Wayne has been an incredible asset to our Adult group sessions, seamlessly integrating with our clients and helping them create some truly wonderful art pieces.

Wayne’s dedication and support have not gone unnoticed. His ability to connect with our clients and foster a creative and therapeutic environment has been invaluable. The art pieces created under his guidance are a testament to his talent and commitment.

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Wayne for his hard work and the positive impact he has made during his internship. His contributions have enriched our sessions and brought joy to our clients.

I am currently a Master’s student in Fine Arts at Teesside University. I am originally from Myanmar (Burma), and my full name is Wai Yan Min Thant, though I go by Wayne for simplicity. I am 26 years old and have always been passionate about the arts, especially painting and creative expression.
Volunteering at MAIN was an opportunity I eagerly embraced because of my interest in using art as a way to help and connect with others. As a Fine Artist, I have always viewed art as a powerful tool for communication and self-expression. Working at MAIN has allowed me to explore this idea further by engaging directly with children and adults who are neurodivergent or have learning disabilities. I wanted to contribute my skills to an organization that supports these individuals and fosters inclusion and wellbeing.
From this experience, I have gained so much. It has enhanced my understanding of art therapy, improved my communication and collaboration skills, and given me a deeper appreciation of the challenges and strengths of the people I have worked with. This experience has also been invaluable for my Master’s studies, as it has expanded my creative practice and helped me see how art can be used in a therapeutic and supportive context.
Thank you again for the opportunity to volunteer and for all the support I’ve received at MAIN. If you need any more details or further information, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Best regards,
Wayne

Thank you, Wayne, for your dedication and support. We are grateful to have you as part of the MAIN family and look forward to seeing all the amazing things you will achieve in your future career.

If you are interested in volunteering at MAIN please get in touch by emailing us or calling on 01642 608012

art work made by clients with Sanjoys support

Celebrating Sanjoy’s Internship at MAIN

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Celebrating Sanjoy’s Internship at MAIN

We are thrilled to share that Sanjoy has successfully completed his university internship with us at MAIN. Throughout his time here, Sanjoy has been an absolute joy to work with, bringing enthusiasm, dedication, and a fresh perspective to our team.

Sanjoy has kindly written a summary of his experience at MAIN, which we are excited to share with you all. His reflections highlight the growth and learning he has achieved during his internship, and we couldn’t be prouder of his accomplishments.

Sanjoy’s Experience at MAIN:

My experience at MAIN
Sanjoy Bikash Das
M.A. Fine Art (Teesside University)

Everyone has precious moments and experiences in different circumstances. I have some with
MAIN what I learned through Teesside University. I had an opportunity to do my university M.A.
Fine Art (advanced practice) external internship at MAIN. I was excited when I got the offer to do
Art Therapy for Autism. I hadn’t prior experience with that however I dare to take on new
challenges in different roles. I worked with MAIN in two phases. First I did my university
placement and second I did Voluntary work.

My journey started with MAIN in September 2023 and worked with them till April 2024. I spent
rst day to get to know each other and making working plan. I worked with different age groups
including adults. Therefore, I make my plan accordingly based on age groups. I never felt lack of art
supplies which made me more condent. Two things are essential for art sessions. One is art
materials and the second one is sitting arrangement. MAIN has a well well-equipped and proper
environment which I didn’t expect. They are so well organised which is reected in their prior
monthly plan. My colleagues were very helpful in understanding attendees and settling down in the
art sessions. I didn’t keep my involvement only for art sessions; I also tried to be involved in
different activities with attendees and make them comfortable with me and Art. They were sharing
their ideas and tried to portray what they felt. I used different mediums and methods to understand
the objects, enhancing their interest. Moreover, attendees tried to put their unique ideas based on
their interest which is surprised to me. I got many attendees who has truly creative sense of art.
Which boosted my interest and I learned how to deal with them.

I had teaching experience which really helped me to understand children and their sociology but in
special education, I put more passion and compassion which is a very important win that I felt.
During this period, I tried to learn about autism and get to know more details about that. My M.A.
nal presentation had one part about ability that I inspired from my placement. I believe that
everyone has a good potential to do anything but needs the proper care and guidance that MAIN
provides for young people and children. I believe these experiences make me more condent to
explore for my future carrier based on Autism.

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Sanjoy for all his hard work and contributions. His positive attitude and commitment have made a significant impact, and we are confident he will continue to excel in his future endeavours.

Thank you, Sanjoy, for being a part of the MAIN family. We wish you all the best in your future career!

If you are interested in volunteering at MAIN please get in touch by emailing us or calling on 01642 608012

thumbnail saying we are looking for volunteers

Join our team- We are looking for volunteers!- Open Now

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Volunteer Applications are Open

We are launching a new volunteer programme. This will be a 6 month cohort of volunteering in multiple roles.
Applications are open 5th December and close on the 19th December 2024.
Applications will be reviewed and volunteering will start in January and reviewed in June.
We are looking for anyone who would like to offer their time to support our charity.
Some roles are
  • Administrator
  • Gardening
  • Handy person
  • Social media/Marketing
  • Outreach role in our clubs
  • Activity or events planner
If you wish to learn more please contact us on 01642 608012 or email the link below
We have vacancies in Middlesbrough, County Durham and Redcar & Cleveland
disability confident Employer disability confident -commited

Send us your CV today

Volunteers stood outside MAIN with litter picking equipment
Volunteering at MAIN- Litter Pick
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Thank You to Teesside University Students!

We were delighted to welcome students from Teesside University today, who generously volunteered their time to help us prepare for our Christmas Fayre tomorrow at 2pm.

The students spent a few hours litter picking around our building and cleaning some rooms, ensuring everything is in perfect condition for the event. A special shoutout goes to Aski, Michelle, Tony, Jesubukade, and Fatima for their incredible help and dedication.

Your efforts have made a significant difference, and we are truly grateful for your support. Thank you for your time and hard work!

We look forward to seeing everyone at the Christmas Fayre tomorrow!

‘Thanks for organising everything – I had a really fulfilling morning. All of the staff and volunteers were really welcoming and friendly and it was a great cause for the community! Nice to meet Teesside students from different countries/schools of study too.’

If you are interested in volunteering at MAIN please get in touch by emailing us or calling on 01642 608012

Harry with handyman Lia, both in high vis jackets and witches hats for October

Volunteering at MAIN- Thank You Harry

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Harry volunteers his time each week

Harry has volunteered at MAIN for several years, popping in every Tuesday offering advice, hands on support and generally being a great guy

Thank you Harry

If you are interested in volunteering at MAIN please get in touch by emailing us or calling on 01642 608012

thumbnail saying we are looking for volunteers

Join our team- We are looking for volunteers!

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We launching a new volunteering programme at MAIN

We are launching a new volunteer programme. This will be a 6 month cohort of volunteering in multiple roles.
Applications are open 5th December and close on the 19th December 2024.
Applications will be reviewed and volunteering will start in January and reviewed in June.
We are looking for anyone, 18+ years who would like to offer their time to support our charity.
Some roles are
  • Administrator
  • Gardening
  • Handy person
  • Social media/Marketing
  • Outreach role in our clubs
  • Activity or events planner
If you wish to learn more please contact us on 01642 608012 or email the link below
We have vacancies in Middlesbrough, County Durham and Redcar & Cleveland

Send us your CV today

volunteer verity with CEO Heather whyman

Volunteering at MAIN- Thank You Verity

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Verity volunteered her time to support MAIN whilst visiting the UK

Verity is the daughter of one of MAIN’s staff and offered to volunteer some time at MAIN. Verity is studying in her home country, Nigeria, and whilst visiting her Mum in the UK wanted to give back to the local community.

Verity was a great help and supported our team with administrative tasks and gained experience of a UK work environment

Thank you Verity

 

If you are interested in volunteering at MAIN please get in touch by emailing us or calling on 01642 608012