How hospice volunteering has made 'real impact' on young Yorkshire man who has Down's Syndrome

Volunteering with a hospice has helped a young man who has Down’s Syndrome to ‘come out of his shell’, his mum has said. Isaac Cowen, 26, first became part of the volunteer programme at St Luke’s Hospice in Sheffield when he gave time to the charity’s Woodseats shop as part of a scheme organised by Mencap, the organisation for people with a learning disability.

He then took on a weekly volunteer opportunity at the St Luke’s Abbeydale Road shop - and it has now become a family affair, with mum Jackie joining him for his session every Monday morning. She says his interactions with customers have made a real impact on his life. “He has definitely come out his shell because being here gives him the chance to talk to people,” Jackie says. “It’s quite a small shop and we tend to see the same people coming in regularly and they speak to him and he enjoys having a bit of a chat with them.

“When Isaac first arrived at St Luke’s they had no idea what he was like but they just welcomed him with open arms. It’s been a case of seeing what tasks are available and saying we will give it a try and the managers and the rest of the St Luke’s team have been great - they had no preconceptions, they just want Isaac to feel like he belongs.

"It feels sometimes like people with Down’s Syndrome have to prove their worth but it’s not been like that here. Isaac has a busy life - he does crafts, he has the gym, his computer studies and he also acts - but I can’t see him not having the time for St Luke’s because he enjoys being in the shop.”