This time I am joined by recent Manchester Metropolitan University PhD graduate Simon Armour, who is the Mental Health and Wellbeing programme manager at Stockport Council. In this episode we explore his PGR research into the effect that volunteering has upon well-being, for those that give up their time to serve in challenging environments such as food banks and homelessness provisions etc. We've all heard the adage that volunteering for those less fortunate than us is good for the soul and has a solely positive impact, but is this always the case? Simon shares some of his thesis findings with us today, he talks about the power of identity change, how he draws on psychosocial psychology, the role that faith plays in these spaces as well as the complex power dynamics that exist when helping some of society’s most vulnerable. In a change from the usual script Simon also uses some of his participant questions on me, to see if my own perceptions from this area chime with some of the other stories he has collected and analysed. We also have a broader discussion around the role such organisations play, both in the positive and negative i.e. where blame and responsibility is and should be located. 

For those wishing to follow Simon's journey or discuss his research you can reach him on Twitter here: @simonarmour62