Oral history interview with David Pratt from SNAP Cymru, Cardiff, 19 January 2017

Description

David Pratt Interview recorded on 19 January 2017 at the SNAP Cymru Head Office in Cardiff. David has been a volunteer with SNAP for over ten years and will also be representing Wales at the Special Olympics in 2017.

SNAP Cymru is a Welsh Charity that provides independent information, advice, and support for parents, children, and young people who have additional learning needs. Their advice is provided through a helpline, website, and specialist casework service. SNAP Cymru, which began as the Special Needs Advisory Project, has been in existence since 1986 when the Scope and Mencap charities set up an independent Parent Partnership service in South Wales.

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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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DP = David Pratt, LT = Lara Taffer (interviewer)

[Introduction - 0:30 to 0:47]

DP: Yeah, my name's David Pratt. I live in Cardiff. I was born and bred in Cardiff. And besides here, besides for SNAP, I have doen a little bit of volunteering elsewhere.


LT: What other places have you volunteered?

[Locations of volunteering - 0:50 to 1:09]

DP: I volunteered in the Powerhouse in Llanerdyn, it's a community centre. Used to help the girls in the kitchen and all things like that. And I've done voluntary work with Innovate Trust, with the rangers and everything. I've been up to places like St Fagans.


LT: And can you describe your volunteer duties and responsibilities with SNAP?

[Duties and responsibilities - 1:16 to 1:31]

DP: I answer the phones, I take messages, I do some research and I check the post and also post, if I have to I post it as well.


LT: How long have you been volunteering here?

[Length of volunteering at SNAP - 1:36 to 1:38]

DP: It'll be 10 years in June.


LT: Oh, good. How did you start volunteering with SNAP?

[Origins of volunteering with SNAP - 1:41 to 1:52]

DP: Um, I was taken on by social services to a place called VCS, which is based on St Marys Street. And I found them through there.


LT: Oh, we're from VCS!

DP: Yeah, I had to wait three months before I even got a thing, because they do all the checks.


LT: And what kind of training did you have to undergo to be a volunteer? Or did you have any training?

DP: I can't remember.


LT: Can't remember? (laughs)

DP: I can't remember that far back.


LT: What motivated you to volunteer? What got you going?

[Motivations to volunteer - 2:23 to 2:46]

DP: I have a special need myself. So, like learning disability, so I got family, they've got disabilities as well. I've got a great nephew got autism, and my niece has got cerebral palsy.


LT: And did SNAP help you and your family?

DP: They helped them, yes. No, what it is, when I was in, they obviously, they weren't around, 'cuz of my age.


LT: Could you give me a really brief description about what SNAP, what kind of services it offers?

[Background of SNAP Cymru - 3:06 to 3:30]

DP: It's mainly to do with education and help with things like statements. If a family needs, 'cuz some parents are going through the process and everything, if they need letters, writing, they help 'em with that. They attend school meetings.


LT: Um, has volunteering helped you to get to know your community better?

DP: Yeah.


LT: In what ways?

DP: Just a little bit more confident.


LT: Good. And what does volunteering mean to you? Or can you give it a definition?

[Definition of volunteering - 3:57 to 4:10]

DP: It's rewarding basically. It gets you out of the house. Especially if you suffer with things like despression like I do.


LT: Have you met any, have you made any friends while volunteering?

[Social life with volunteering - 4:17 to 4:25]

DP: The only time I see the, is when I'm here, or sometimes they do now and again have like gatherings where we've all got together.


LT: Can you describe those gatherings?

DP: It's just like to the pub and things liek that. Not all the time, it's just a now and again sorta thing, I've been with 'em.


LT: Do you have an element of social life with volunteering?

DP: Yeah, what I'm saying is it's not all the time. Oh yeah, and also, what I forgot to say, I'm actually a trustree with Innovate Trust.

LT: Ok, what's Innovate Trust?

[Innovate Trust - 4:51 to 4:54]

DP: They run our house.


LT: And what kind of responsibilities do you have as a trustee?

DP: It's things about with finances and like we talk about things that groups have done as well.


LT: And is that a volunteer role?

DP: Yes.


LT: And is that in Cardiff?

DP: It is. They're actually based in Canton.


LT: Let's see. Do you think you've inspired anybody else to become a volunteer or to do volunteer work? With SNAP or with any organisation?

[Volunteer inspiration - 5:33 to 5:35]

DP: I don't know. I can't really say, yeah.


LT: If someone was to ask you for advice about volunteering, do you have any words of wisdom that you might be able to give them?

[Advice to other volunteers - 5:46 to 5:51]

DP: It's simply giving it a try. But nobody's ever asked me so.


LT: Well I asked you!

DP: Yeah.


LT: Do you have any favorite memories about being at SNAP that really stand out?

[Favorite memories - 6:02 to 6:18]

DP: We've been to a few events also the office. We had one recently, because it was the thirtieth year, we had down at the Synedd.


LT: The thirtieth anniversary?

DP: And then we had another one and that was something to launch something. That was my favorite, that was in the Pierhead Building.


LT: And what kind of event was it?

DP: I think it was launching some website or something. I can't remember all the details.


LT: Any other day to day activities that are involved in the volunteering that you do?

DP: I do a bit of no really research, it's like if they need like looking up for support groups and things for the children to do if there are activities outside of school. So I go out and look for like sports clubs or something suitable for them.


LT: Is there anything that you would like to add that we haven't talked about yet?

[Special Olympics to 7:22 to 7:34]

DP: It's nothing to do with it, but I'd just like to say in August I'm actually going to represent Wales at the Special Olympics.


LT: Oh fantastic.

DP: And that's at Bowls.


LT: The Bowls Pavilion? Oh, bowls.

DP: Yeah.


LT: How long have you been doing that?

DP: I've only been playing indorrs for about a year. It used to be outdoor.


LT: Where's the Special Olympics this year?

DP: Sheffield. We don't represent Britain, we represent Wales. Represent our country.


LT: Congratulations, good luck.

DP: Lookin' forward to it.

• http://chronicle.recueil.net/collection/item/vcs_chronicle_oh_33 (link opens in new window)