I'm doing a vocational course from home in my own time but finding it quite difficult so I'm starting to anticipate it lasting longer than I'd hoped, when I thought I could move things along, and start working from home, sooner so that is getting me down. Last academic term, things were a bit easier because I did a couple of short computer courses at my local university, but these have now finished and, though I looked through adult education brochures and so on, I just couldn't find any courses this term that I was interested in.
So all I really do regularly is yoga, t’ai chi and my ‘direct payments’ helper takes me swimming once a week. I don't have much of a social life due to problems meeting people, although I did put a message on that website I told you about before, ‘Gum Tree’, in my local area section and had a few people contact me, so I’ve arranged for as all to meet up for the first time at the weekend (scary!). I hope something might come of that.
I feel on the brink of being ready for part-time work but am not quite there yet, because I would need to take a 15 minute break every hour or even 45 minutes depending on the work and - I could be wrong but I don't imagine any employer would be willing to accommodate that. I have just been to my local volunteering centre and they have passed my details on to a few organisations who need receptionists to do short shifts. I think I may be able to manage this kind of work but can't say I'm thrilled at the idea, it just seems to be better than nothing!
So I'm wondering if anyone else has been in this situation and what they did - was there a particular type of voluntary work you did or organisation you joined that you ended up really enjoying, did you set up your own project or group or was there any other way you managed to cope with not quite being well enough to work? I was looking at the website morsbags.com, about setting up a group to make cotton shopping bags to give to people to encourage them not to use plastic ones, and I thought that seemed like quite a fun idea.
Any other suggestions most welcome!