Why I Volunteer.
I found volunteering was for me and decided to go into it when I took part in a one-off volunteering activity with discovery. This activity was really fulfilling and made me feel happy. These little activities we were taking part in were going a long way to help individuals and impact the community. These sessions also benefited me in various ways.
Helping people & being there for others
I have always had the edge to help people, and I go out of my way to be of service to others. Through volunteering, I had the chance to do more than that and gain leadership skills through assisting in projects which help generate funds. Some of the other activities that I participated in included litter picking, beach cleaning, etc.
Volunteering has allowed me to interact with different individuals through various projects. The support volunteering phone calls which I make weekly is one of the things I look forward to at the beginning of the week. These conversations help the individuals by providing them with someone to interact with while also helping me learn a lot.
Learning different skills
To take part in all the projects with discovery, I had to go to a range of training sessions. These really educated me and drastically shaped my way of interacting with people. There are many statements and mannerisms I stopped doing and saying after all these pieces of training. I have learned how interactions in different ways and forms can affect the responses you get from people. This has allowed me to become less judgemental in some situations. These changes allow people to be open and feel comfortable talking to you, which has also improved my communication skills.
I have also learned a lot about starting conversations, which has improved my interpersonal and social skills from working with different individuals with different personality traits. This makes me believe even outside volunteering, I would be able to fit and work effectively in a group without being disturbed.
Other skills that I have obtained from volunteering include learning to knit, which takes patience and determination.
Connect with new people and make friends
Discovery has enabled me to connect with new people and make friends. I have met different people and volunteers from other parts of the world through volunteering on various projects and activities. I have been able to socialise with many people and made friends for life.
Through these new volunteering networks, I met people who have common interests as me, which led to an invitation to be part of a volunteering team on a project outside the UK. This was very exciting, and I met many new people there from various backgrounds.
Gaining more experience and enhancing my CV
I have been able to add a lot of new experiences and training to my CV. This has helped my CV look appealing aside from the job experience I had on there already. These experiences have often made me stand out in interview processes. They have given a lot to say for different situations when asked questions in an interview. I have gained these exciting experiences through volunteering with discovery that I would not have if I had not become a student volunteer.
Amanda Boa-Amponsem BSc Economics and Business