RESIDENTS are being urged by Hartlepool Council to consider becoming a volunteer.

The appeal has been issued by Adult Education Hartlepool to coincide with Volunteers Week, which runs from June 1-7.

The service already has a number of volunteers working for it but is happy to point people in the direction of other opportunities elsewhere.

Maggie Heaps, learning and skills manager with Adult Education Hartlepool, said: “There are volunteering opportunities out there for people of all ages and many benefits to be gained for all parties.

“Volunteering can help people achieve their career goals by enhancing their CVs and making them more appealing to prospective employers. It also provides an opportunity to gain new skills and qualifications, such as NVQs, and is a great confidence-booster.

“In the case of older people, volunteering can provide a sense of purpose and this, in turn can lead to health benefits Studies have found that older people who volunteer tend to have lower levels of anxiety and stress and they recover more quickly from illness.”

One volunteer who is using his skills to good effect is Jesús Romero, 35, from Mexico who has taken on a learner support role after approaching Adult Education Hartlepool and offering his help. He assists with two Spanish classes and an English class for people whose first language is not English.

He said: “Since I started volunteering for Adult Education Hartlepool I have realised just how much help I can be. Being a native Spanish speaker, I am able to provide the students with a unique opportunity to hear words being pronounced correctly, and to experience the language being spoken quickly and confidently.

For more information about volunteering opportunities go to www.volunteerhartlepool.org.uk or call Adult Education Hartlepool on 01429-868616.