Hi! I’ve been out of college for about 3 years. I’ve been working retail for a while and I’m starting to volunteer at the local mental health hospital to get my foot in the door and to gain some experience. I start volunteering next monday and I am super nervous. I already met with the manager of the department I would be working in and he said I would be a good fit with staff and patients as a volunteer but I am still super nervous. I am fine doing menial tasks to help staff but dealing with patients I am nervous about. How do I approach them? I always feel super awkward going up to people and start talking to them and I know that’s what I’m going to do when volunteering but I am so awkward and I’m worried I will say the wrong thing or offending someone. Since these are mental patients I really don’t want to say the wrong thing and make them upset. Any tips on volunteering or how to not be nervous?? Like I’m very excited for this opportunity but I also feel like I’m going to be sick and I just want to hide in bed all day. Any advice would be amazing thank you.
