Hello! I’m
Hannah, I’m 27 and work for the NHS. In this post I want to share my thoughts
on volunteering and the impact it has had on my life.
I would not
be where I am today without the opportunities that volunteering gave me.
Volunteering gave me hope
As a
teenager, my health forced me out of schooling and all other aspects of normal
life. After three years of socialising exclusively from my bed with my
immediate family and one close friend I was a different person to the one I’d
previously been.
My first
experiences of volunteering were during this time. I found an online community
of conservation campaigners and joined in some of their activity, picking back
up what I had previously loved doing most – writing. Whilst connecting me with
others during a time of isolation, it also allowed me to make a difference and
carry on developing my writing skills which had long been shelved whilst out of
education.
At the same
time, I also began volunteering for a charity called Post Pals, sending regular
‘happy mail’ to seriously ill children and their siblings.
Volunteering
gave me a purpose and made me feel a part of the world again. The roles I had
found were flexible and allowed me to do something that mattered to me.
Volunteering was, and still is, immensely important for my mental health.
The chance to improve my confidence
When I felt
I was well enough, I approached a local charity about volunteering in person. I
hadn’t really left the house in three years and it was a huge step for me. The
charity was so welcoming. They took time to understand my limitations and
invited me to look round.
I started
volunteering for one hour, one day a week in their office. I did admin,
answered calls and worked on promotional material. Once my hour was done, I
would go up to Blackpool seafront with another volunteer and we would sit in a
café and have a cup of tea together.
Looking
back, I owe so much to this volunteering role. Without it I don’t know how I
would have picked my life back up again. I started volunteering in December and
by the following June I was volunteering 5 days a week. This included helping
out at fundraisers and events on the weekend. I was a different person. I don’t
think anyone would believe me now if I said I hardly spoke a word my first
month. By the summer I was confidently giving speeches and talking to others
about volunteering. In September, I was enrolled in full time education and
still went to do my volunteering on free periods and through the holidays.
Not only has
volunteering helped me grow in confidence and given me the biggest sense of
achievement, it also helped me develop important skills which I now use in my
career and in my personal ventures, such as my blogs.
The impact of volunteering
Volunteering
is such a great way to flex your skills and test the waters in a career that
you might be interested in. The possibilities are endless. You can find
volunteer roles doing almost anything. People will often tell you ‘it’ll look
great on your CV’ but I strongly feel this is still a small aspect. Volunteer
doing something that you enjoy and do it because it matters to you.
Today, I
still volunteer doing things that matter most to me. Volunteering continues to
help me develop my writing skills and explore new subjects. For the past 4
years I have also enjoyed volunteering at music festivals and campaigning for
better access to live music for disabled people. I volunteered through university
(where it was always a welcome respite to writing essays) and since then,
alongside full-time work in the NHS.
Everything I
do today can be linked back to what I learnt whilst volunteering. I owe so much
to the volunteer opportunities that I’ve had, not least my career. Thanks to
volunteering I have my passions and my confidence, and it continues to help me
find meaning in the things that matter.
Are you a
volunteer? What would be your ideal volunteer experience? Has volunteering
helped you? Let us know in the comments below!
