The Ten Best Things About Working For Discovery (Or, Why I Have Stayed For Ten Years!)
This week marks the ten year anniversary of when I started as a member of staff with Discovery! In that time, I have worked with (at best count) 26 other members of staff, around 50 different Supported Volunteers and Active 18 members, more than a hundred trustees and thousands of student volunteers and had so many amazing opportunities and experiences.
I’ve attempted a list of some of the best things. I have no doubt that as soon as I press ‘Send’ on this blog I will think of fifteen more, but that’s really a testament to how lucky I have been to do this job!
In no particular order, here’s what I’ve come up with:
Seeing Volunteers Gain Skills and Confidence
It has been amazing to see so many volunteers have their confidence grow through their volunteering with Discovery, enabling them to do things they never thought they could, whether that’s a ‘big’ thing like running a project outing or a smaller, more personal achievement like going to the shop unsupervised. Being part of giving those volunteers the right support for them to grow and flourish is something I love and am really proud of.
Working As Part of an Inclusive Organisation
One of the key values of Discovery is about including everyone, and I really appreciate how we are constantly striving to be better at that, and to value people in all roles of the organisation for their individual skills and traits. As a person with a long-term anxiety disorder, which often affects my daily functioning, being part of a supportive and flexible workplace which recognises that we are all human with needs and limitations has kept me in work when otherwise I may not have managed.
Visiting Zambia … and Having Zambia Visit Us!
I have been lucky enough to travel to Zambia four times with groups of volunteers as part of Discovery’s work on the Swansea-Siavonga Partnership project, trips which bring back amazing memories and from which I gained so many new skills.
We’ve also had a number of visits from Zambian colleagues over the years, which has given me the opportunity to my home and work in the same way that they have shared theirs with our groups. A particular highlight has been watching visitors see how things are done in Discovery and how that could be translated to a Zambian context. Another is an extra-curricular example, when we took a group of visiting teachers to a Zumba class in Sketty, where a good time was had by all!
On a sad note, I couldn’t talk about my time in Siavonga without mentioning my Zambian colleague Geoffrey Phiri, who helped me to navigate working in a different culture with a warmth and a sense of fun which is largely unparalleled, and who passed away last year following an illness. Thank you for making me feel at home so far from home, Mr Phiri – you are missed. <3
Starting the Supported Volunteering Scheme
After a few years of trying to make it happen, in 2014 we were successful in receiving funding to start the Supported Volunteering Scheme. Setting up the project and having the opportunity to demonstrate that everyone has something to offer in volunteering is one of my proudest achievements, and the Supported Volunteers themselves, whilst all very different from each other obviously, are amongst some of the funniest and kindest people I have ever met. Many of them also make fun of me with a gleeful passion, and honestly I am here for it.
The ‘Big’ Active 18 Trips
Whilst I have enjoyed every Active 18 session I’ve been to, it would be dishonest of me to claim that I didn’t enjoy the time we went to see Taylor Swift live at Wembley Stadium just a little bit more than normal! In typical Discovery fashion, we found out we had received a donation of tickets on the Monday for the concert on the Saturday, which led to a frankly chaotic week arranging to get ten disabled adults, nine student volunteers and myself to London just a few days afterwards! It was one of the most exhausting days of my life so far, but so worth it to see how happy and excited the members were to be there. We also went on a trip to the Harry Potter Studio Tour which both similarly tiring and similarly well-received.
The Absolute Chaos of the Office
Whether it’s an impromptu dance along to Shakira or three groups of volunteers turning up at once and trying to make sure nobody gets lost, there has always been something ridiculous and delightful happening in the office. The community of the office is one of the things I have missed most during the pandemic and I am so ready to get back to it when it’s safe to do so.
Running Orientation Buddies
Another piece of work I have particularly enjoyed is designing and running the Orientation Buddies project in partnership with the Autism Spectrum Conditions team in Wellbeing, to support new autistic students in their first two weeks of University. It is something which has been waylaid by the pandemic and the inability to meet in person, but being able to make a difference at a critical time for new students has meant a lot to me.
Discovery’s 50th Anniversary Celebrations
It was an honour to be part of the celebrations when Discovery turned 50! In particular, it was amazing over a weekend to meet so many people who were invested in the same vision of students developing skills whilst being of benefit to the local community, and going out into the world after graduation as well-rounded citizens, from a group of men now in their 80s who were our founder members, through to current student volunteers.
Meeting Volunteers Face-To-Face After Lockdown
As I’ve mentioned, I’ve really missed being around people and in the office during the pandemic, so when the opportunity came up in the summer this year to meet volunteers in person I jumped at the opportunity. It has been lovely to see both existing volunteers, and feel like no time has passed at all, and to meet newer volunteers who I had previously only encountered through a computer.
Discovery Fayre(s)/The General Beginning of Term
It’s probably a bit of a cheat to squish these in together, but I’m running out of space! The beginning of the academic year has invariably been chaos, but lots of fun as well. I’ve enjoyed many Discovery Fayres – the biggest recruitment drive of the year and just a really exciting time being surrounded by so much enthusiasm for volunteering. One of my favourite memories of the Discovery Fayre was arriving at the office at 8.30am one year (very early for me, I’m not a morning person!) and finding it already full up with people, including one of my volunteers who was dressed as a lobster – I feel like nothing sums up Discovery quite like that vision.
