Patricia N. Pollock – Charlottesville
Tell us about your volunteer activities.
I volunteer at On Our Own Charlottesville two days a week and have been doing that for the past three years. I am a staff assistant, group facilitator, and peer advocate. On Our Own is a peer run mental health recovery center.
A staff assistant runs the house and a group facilitator runs on of the three peer groups. which we have each day. One group I run is called Even Keel, a support group for people who experience mental health challenges. I have been doing this group for 30 years. I also do this group in the UVA psych ward on Saturdays.
As a peer support advocate, I work with people individually setting goals and giving support. This is my favorite part of the job.
What inspires you to volunteer?
I have had mental health challenges but I am now in recovery. I made it though my hard times because I had so many supporters. Now I want to help others who have the same challenges by supporting them in anyway possible. I can do this at On Our Own and I have seen miracles happen here. I am glad that I can be part of their miracles.
If your volunteer work could make one long-lasting change, what would you want it to be?
I would like people with mental health challenges to know that there is recovery through medicine and support. I would like to see everyone achieve recovery.
What is a little-known fact about you?
I volunteer at Own Our Own because I suffer from mental health challenges. Working to keep people at On Our Own helps me even more than the people I help.
What brought you to Charlottesville/Albemarle County?
I came to Charlottesville when I was six and have mostly lived here or near here ever since. I love Charlottesville because it is a beautiful town with so much opportunity available .
