Interview with Herish Azad Muhammad

Disgrifiad

Interview with Herish Azad Muhammad about his volunteer work with Oasis. Interview recorded on 8 March 2017 at Oasis in Splott. Herish discovered Oasis roughly two years ago and now volunteers as a receptionist. Occasionally Herish helps others at the centre with translations.

---------------

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

---------------

We will now begin recording the interview with Herish Azad Muhammad. The recording takes place on the 8th March 2017 at Oasis on Splott Road. The volunteers present are Lara Taffer and Kayleigh Williams, and this recording is being 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), KW = Kayleigh Williams (interviewer), HM = Herish Azad Muhammed.
KW: Herish, would you like to introduce yourself please?
[Introductions – 0:32 to 0:53]
HM: Yes, my name Herish Azad Muhammad and I’m from Iraq. And I’ve been living in the UK for nine years. So I’m twenty-eight years old, twenty-seven, going to be twenty-eight soon. And I work at Oasis Cardiff centre as a volunteer.
KW: And, what do you do as a volunteer?
[Responsibilities at Oasis – 0:57 to 2:27]
HM: I do some sort of different things. I work as a receptionist as well as translation, with like different languages. And I also direct people to the certain people that they need to be seeing, so that makes Oasis staff job easier. So, and I also try to help people with filling forms, when obviously I’m in the mood [laughs] No all the time. And there are other things that I do time to time, like getting to know people, I’m interested in hearing other people’s stories. And the other things that I do, I don’t do much sport here. Yeah, I used to. And most of the time, like five days a week I sit at the reception. So that’s my main part. But there are other things that when the… when they were before three months ago when the legal migrants project [inaudible] was upstairs I was also trying to help them with translation as a volunteer, which they were happy with it. And they have moved out, but I am still in touch with them from time to time. And that’s it pretty much. Not much, most of the time I just sit. [laughs].
LT: And, when did you start volunteering here?
[How Herish came to volunteer at Oasis – 2:30 to 3:43]
HM: I can’t remember exactly. But there’s a… I try to be as decent as I can because some things I cannot discuss – I want to be but there’s… I came here probably two years ago. That’s where I was… I was told by a friend. I didn’t know before this place, nobody told me around. I came here as a visitor. I just to, you know, to get involved socially with other people. And then, a couple of months I was asked that I could do some volunteering here, but they knew that what was my limit, what I’m capable of and not some days. So, they could understand that I was happy with it and I start working just at twice a week. That’s what I chose to do that two days, but then the more I came so the better I could do. Now, I do like five days a week. Monday to Thursday, sometimes I will leave earlier so as I go to another organisation which is called Trinity centre. So, I help them and spend time with people in there too.
LT: Is that volunteer as well?
HM: I’ve been told volunteer, but I don’t do it. But they treat me as a volunteer. So, because I try to translate for Kurdish, Arabic and Faroese.
LT: Do you have any favourite memories of working here?
[Perks of volunteering with Oasis - 4:02 to 5:27]
HM: It is… yes. The good thing about this place is it increases your confidence. It’s like personally I’ve been through a lot, I don’t… maybe I’m more open now than before since I start coming here. Before that I wouldn’t even discuss any issues with anyone but I’m much more open right now, because I’ve seen people listening and I’ve gained more trust. The other thing is that it helps you to keep your mind occupied, like busy not to think about other things. And also, it makes you think you can be something, in the future to contribute to the society. Which was… which was obviously before I was start thinking that way many times, which wasn’t my choice. But here it has helped me a lot. But there are factors here that you get, whether you, whether I like it or you get bored. It’s not because you don’t like the place, it’s because you think you can do more. But you are not able, something is stopping you and sometimes it changes your… the way you deal with things. It takes over your personality. But then I try to keep going with the support that I get from here. Yep… Am I talking too much?
LT: No…
KW: No, no not at all.
LT: Do you think that volunteering has, you said it gave you some confidence and being here and being kind of part of your community, do you think it’s let you know the community better?
[Volunteering and the community – 5:38 to 6:19]
HM: Of course. Yes, I know pretty much every single person come here, so most of them live around here locally. And yes… and the good thing about it is because I’m not saying I don’t do actually much, they say that I do. But I like it, it’s just because I see people’s stories and I thought I was the only one who’s going through a lot but I see, you know, I get to hear different stories and it kinda helps me out. I’m not the only one that’s going through and these things, you know, it keeps you going. But there are times when, with all respect, they start talking about their problems and I want to, you know, avoid it. [laughs] The truth.
LT: Did anything motivate you to volunteer? So, they asked you but was there a personal drive?
[Reasons for volunteering – 6:25 to 7:58]
HM: Let me… if you want me to be honest with you it was out of no choice. I… I came here, this bit’s a bit personal I don’t want to talk about it. I came here because I still go through, I had going through what we would say is many people, is a stressful period of time – like a very stressful. What happened was a personal thing. I came over here. I didn’t have any intention to do it because everything I had wanted, it was gone – for that period of time I was in. But it took time to think I still have problem, thinking that a lot, but I’m probably saying I’m doing better. But here, obviously, you come here, you know, you see other people and you talk to people and busy and in a way it helps you. So, better than being alone and sit. So, you have somewhere to go in the morning which is a good thing. This is why it’s not a… like… I say I came here because I had a choice I like it here now. In the beginning no, not because I didn’t like it no, there was no choice, no other option basically. There was no alternative, it was something that I had to do it otherwise would have been different outcome. I had to give myself, so these things which is not a bad idea that I chose to come back here, I like it. Yeah, but it’s not forever but I’m doing it now.
LT: Good, do you think you’ve gained any skills by volunteering here?
[Volunteering and confidence building - 8:01 to 9:07]
HM: Yes, because [inaudible] now I’m finding it hard to be… to be who I am, to think that way. But before, I’ve tried so hard to complete the course I wanted and I couldn’t. The course, it was similar what I’m doing here. It was translation course. But I couldn’t complete it because… not because I couldn’t do it for some reason legally I wasn’t entitled to because of immigration state. I even had the qualification that qualifies me to do it. So, this thing is, basically when it happened it kinda destroyed me. In a way, something that happened but then from here it does, it has helped me a bit. Not like, the way who I was before but I still struggle. I’m just going to be decent. It’s not like [inaudible] you see me, outside I might be different somewhere. But it does, it has increased my confidence in a way that I can come out more often and see people and be around people more often.
LT: Would you encourage other people to become volunteers?
[Recommending volunteering - 9:12 to 10:13]
HM: Yes. Yeah, yeah, why not? It’s a good thing. Being a volunteer is just not about… it has advantage, say seventy-five percent but there are times when you think it’s not who you are and you think it’s a good thing because I’ve always wanted to do something that I can help myself and other people. Honestly, it’s not about just money. Money’s good, everyone likes it. But I’ve always wanted it. But for me, that’s why I recommend people to do it. It’s a good thing because I’ve seen where there was a guy here who was going through a lot and started working somewhere as a volunteer and then later something… something good happened to his life and he was ready for it. So, he could build up his life but if you don’t do and think about it and said nothing to do and just wait until you get something you might never get it. You have to do it first. When you get something you’re ready for it. Otherwise by the time you reach forty… [Laughs]
LT: Could you finish this sentence for me? Volunteering is…
[Defines volunteering - 10:24 to 11:06]
HM: Volunteering is… ah that’s hard! [laughs] Now… is exciting and enjoyable and socialising people as a volunteer good thing. And the happiness you get around people and the time that your mind is occupied with something makes you feel better, at the late of the day. So I can’t come up with the vocabulary, there’s nothing in there.
LT: Is there anything that you’d like to add? That we haven’t talked about?
HM: No that’s all I think.
LT; Keeping it short and sweet.
HM: Honestly, [inaudible] I don’t usually… I’m able to continue that long which I want to. I’ve done it before many many, but today I feel like I can do more [laughs]
LT: That was good.
KW: Thank you for speaking with us today.
HM: No problem.