Oral History Interview with Didem Ozertok-Evans, 19 January 2017

Description

Oral history interview with Didem Ozertok-Evans on 19 January 2017 about her volunteer work with SNAP Cymru.

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The Chronicle Project is a community heritage project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and run by VCS Cymru with the aims to document the history of volunteering in Cardiff, from 1914 to 2014.

Visit our website at: http://chronicle.vcscymru.org.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chronicleVCS/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vcs_chronicle

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[Audio Header]
• We will now begin recording the interview with Didem Ozertok-Evans.
• The recording takes place on the January 19th 2017 at SNAP Cymru’s head office in Cardiff.
• The volunteers present are Rob Boddy and Lara Taffer.
And this recording is going to be collected as an oral history and will be part of the Chronicle
Project, a project led by VCS Cymru and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.


LT = Lara Taffer (interviewer), DO-E = Didem Ozertok-Evans (interviewee), RB = Rob Boddy (volunteer).


Transcript of interview


LT: Can you please introduce yourself?


[0:29 - 1:00 : A little bit about Didem]
DO-E: Hi, my name is Didem Ozertok-Evans and I started to volunteer with SNAP Cymru just over two weeks ago. Well, I worked in thefinancial services for over ten years and now I’m in a career transition. I’m starting my Psychology degree next week actually, and I decided to volunteer to benefit my study and this is the society that I am working for now.


LT: Have you volunteered anywhere else before here (SNAP)?


[1:03 - 1:32 : Didem’s previous volunteer work in Turkey]
DO-E: Yes I have, I’m from Turkey, I worked with children from deprived families in Turkey for a year. I worked with them and created projects and I helped them with their school work, and I enjoyed it immensely.


LT: What have you been doing so far at SNAP?


[1:26 - 1:45 : Admin and case work]
DO-E: Oh, well it’s the admin work at the moment, this is where it starts basically. I’m looking into the case work and I’ve been to a couple of meetings and I’m pleasantly surprised actually with the support that the organisation is actually providing to the families and the children.


LT: Have you been offered any support or training into your volunteer role?


[1:50 - 2:03 : Didem’s training]
DO-E: Oh yes, they are brilliant, they have been great. So at the moment actually I’ve been showed a couple of things that is really vital to the database. So every day is a learning curve but yes I receive support.


LT: How did you learn about SNAP?


[2:09 - 2:42 : Didem’s journey to SNAP]
DO-E: Again, because of my studies I tried going intoemployment to start as an entry role in Psychology, but of course if you don’t have any qualifications or if you’re not coming from a society then it is really difficult. And I’ve done research, and throughout my research I’ve found the police force and through them I found SNAP, and made a couple of calls and here I am.


LT: Can you describe a typical day so far, of your responsibilities here?


[2:50 - 3:25 Didem’s volunteer role]
DO-E: Oh, my responsibilities are not too much, I don’t have too much responsibility. Again it’s checking out the cases that have been opened and then sorting the letters that need to be sent out to the parents. And if there are cases that need to be closed, just to make sure that the parent has received the support that they needed from us and then close the cases. And if there are any meetings, again with my colleagues I tag along and so basically I’m shadowing them.


LT: Do you think that - I know you’ve only been here two weeks, but do you think that this position has helped you get to know the Cardiff community better?


[3:34 - 4:02 : Learning curve]
DO-E: I am learning, I must say that yes I do, I had no idea before about the systems running a school, and teachers and the organisations involved in helping the children and their circumstances and conditions. Yes I am learning, as I said because I am passionate about this subject, so everyday is like a [unknown] for me.


LT: So, what does volunteering mean to you? Can you give it a definition?


[4:09 - 4:50 - Rewarding]
DO-E: It is something that, we all, in this society should do, it is the responsibility that we have to do in the world that we live in. And we all have something to give, and it’s just the help and support that we all can provide to certain parts of society. And the time and effort that we put in - for me it is the reward that I get, it’s just crucial and is really important.


LT: And do you have any favourite memories so far of volunteering?


[4:58 - 5:46 : Unforgettable moment volunteering in Turkey]
DO-E: Social responsibility - when I was in Turkey, again, in this educational organisation that I worked in, one of the children, I think he was seven years old - I was fortunately involved in certain projects with him. And at this time I was coming back to the UK - and the letter I had received from his parents as well as him and the little gift that he put in - and there I knew that it was so important, we don’t actually realise how important the job that we do is for the children and for the parents. That was a moment that I’ll never forget.


LT: Do you have any advice or words of inspiration for others for others to volunteer today?


[5:53 - 6:13 : Didem’s words of wisdom]
DO-E: Oh, just dive in and enjoy yourself and it will be so surprising for anyone who actually is contemplating to volunteer, it’s a learning curve and you will find a lot about yourself that you can’t actually find in paperwork . . . in a nine til five job.


LT: While volunteering have you met anyone that has greatly impacted your life?
[Pause]
DO-E: Sorry?


LT: So have you met anyone that while you’ve been volunteering that has kind of changed your worldview or made you think about things differently?


[6:29 - 7:12 : Unit leader in Turkey]
DO-E: No not yet, not yet it has been just two weeks, but I can give you an example from Turkey again. And it was the unit leader - there were little schools if you’d like - children used to come after school and get involved with the different activities and projects, and the leader of that unit, he was a giving person but the way that he was involved with the parents and the things that he created out of nothing basically, provided help to these kids and fun - and how genuine that he was - he is a very good friend of mine now, so he was an inspiration, yes.


LT: Is there anything you’d like to add that we haven’t talked about?


DO-E: Not really I think we covered the base pretty well.


LT to RB: Do you have any questions?


RB: No, no I’m just trying to do my job quietly really [laughs].


LT to DO-E: Okay, well thank you very much.

DO-E: Thank you.

• http://chronicle.recueil.net/collection/item/vcs_chronicle_oh_34 (link opens in new window)