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From Leeds teenage tearaway to elderly champion
HELPING THE ELDERLY: Sarah Jolly.
A former tearaway teenager turned volunteer extraordinaire has launched a project to combat loneliness among the elderly.
Sarah Jolly, of Harehills, will bring pensioners together with primary school children in Beeston to raise awareness of the issue of isolation in old age.
The 24-year-old, of Sandhurst Avenue, said: “When I was younger my grandma was in a nursing home and I thought that all old people smelled and had the wrong kind of idea of what it’s like to be old.
“Older people have so much to give. It’s good to break down the stereotypes and bridge the gap between the young and the old.”
Sarah, who grew up in Beeston, struggled at school as a teenager and battled with depression.
She became homeless and got into trouble with police, before the probation service put her in touch with the Getaway Girls group in Harehills, which supports young women.
As a result she started to volunteer in schools, talking to youngsters about issues like knife and gun crime and young parenthood.
She has since qualified as a youth worker and is looking for her first full-time job.
In the meantime she is volunteering with vInspired, an independent charity that helps young people give their time in ways that matter to them.
Her project at St Luke’s Primary School in Beeston Hill is part of a six-week campaign called End Loneliness.
She will co-ordinate two hour-long arts and craft activity sessions and two creative writing sessions.
Members of Holbeck Elderly Aid support group will attend the sessions with the school pupils.
Sarah, a mum of one, said: “It has been proven that loneliness is a hidden killer – it has bigger health risks than smoking and obesity, which shocked me.
“As part of the project we have to do activities to help bring elderly people out of isolation.”
The project could win her a scholarship of up to £1,000 to spend on further education or training.
But Sarah insisted that wasn’t her main motivation.
“Since I found out the health risks, I’ve looked at the world with a different perspective,” she said.
“That means more to me than the scholarship – it is helping me to develop more empathy.”
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Comments
There are 4 comments to this article
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june rose
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 02:27 PMLovely to see some good has come out of her wild ways now she is on the straight and narow may she keep up the good work, and god luck for the future.
nevben1954
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 09:01 AMWell done Sarah, it is pleasing to see you have turned your life around. I assume that you have convictions from your youth and it is further pleasing to see that you do not have to carry the your consequences of this for the rest of life.
decolyn
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 08:18 AMwell done, she is inspirational, possibly the people who have too much time on their hands and get into committing crime should follow her example and do something good for others,, like the persons who smashed a hole in the heart foundation wall and stole items causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to the shop,, they should do something good for others like this young woman has done,,, time is one of the most valuable things you can give to others, i wish her well for her future.
smithstv
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 06:13 AMgood on yer gal! great to see some positive success stories for once. Keep up the great work Sarah and well done for turning things around!
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