Raising awareness
Although scoliosis is not a rare condition, with approximately 4 out of 1000 people needing support from a scoliosis specialist, surprisingly little is known about it. This can mean that people with scoliosis can struggle to find the information they need quickly, resulting in them feeling alone and unsure about how to access the care they need.
One of our main aims at Scoliosis Support and Research is to raise awareness of scoliosis among both health professionals and the general public. We are always looking for people who can help us raise awareness in their local community by putting up educational posters and distributing information leaflets. It really helps if people distribute information to their local schools, doctor’s surgeries, hospitals and community centres as this is where the information can reach the most people.
One of our most important days is International Scoliosis Awareness Day which takes place in the latter half of June, each year. Our volunteers work hard to raise awareness on this day and we are always looking for more volunteers to help us run events and distribute literature on this day. If you are keen to have more of an impact in your local area we are happy to support you, for instance, we have supported some of our volunteers to hold an informative talk at their local school or to approach their local media.
By running events, gatherings, or getting involved in local community groups, you are helping to raise awareness of scoliosis as well as advertising ways in which donations can be made or by fundraising through these events.
You can find out more about organising your own event or taking part in an event through our fundraising pages or contact Ellie Wilson, our Community Engagement Manager, on 0208 964 5343 or email: info@ssr.org.uk
Volunteering
Our dedicated office team, here at Scoliosis Support and Research, is very small so we often look for volunteers who can offer time and skills to help with the running of the charity. Whether it be through offering support to our members or by giving a helping hand in the office, there are a number of ways that you could volunteer with us.
We love to hear from people with specific skills that could help us share and advertise the good work that we do, such as photography, film and IT skills through to journalism and those with legal knowledge. Please get in touch if you would like to help out either on a regular basis or on a ‘one-off’ basis, all help received helps us continue to help and support those affected by scoliosis.
Become a Regional Representative
One of the main ways that people can get involved on a regular basis is by supporting others through our regional representative network. These volunteers are called Regional Representative’s and their main role is to support other members in their area by offering friendly advice and signposting via email, using the Facebook support group, or meeting for a cup of tea and a chat or a virtual meeting.
Depending on the time volunteers have to dedicate to the Regional Representative role, there is also the opportunity to arrange larger meet-ups and activities for local members such as the running of fundraising or awareness-raising events, support groups, or to ‘speak-up’ for scoliosis related issues with local GPs. The Scoliosis Support and Research team will support you in these activities and we encourage you to team up with other local volunteers.
Your Story
If you have a story to tell about your experiences of scoliosis, and would be happy to share this story, we would be interested in running your story as an article in our magazine Backbone, or as a feature here on our website. So, whether you have lived with scoliosis for years, want to talk about an experience such as bracing or surgery, or if you want to share something you have found helpful, we want to hear from you!
Please contact us on 020 8964 1166 or e-mail: info@ssr.org.uk with the details of your story.
