As part of the Volunteer Week we are sharing people’s stories and experiences with volunteering! Sharing the insight on why people have volunteered, the kind of roles they have taken on and how it has benefited them, which can vary from gaining new skills, to making connections across the community, to keeping them active and more!

What volunteering do you do and what does it involve?

During my time as a teacher, I volunteered to be on the school governing body. This involved working alongside other governors to plan strategically for the school’s aims and development. It was an interesting role which felt like you were making a difference to the school’s pupils and parents.

When I was working part-time, I volunteered for Reading Association for the Blind. I was really pleased to see this volunteering opportunity because I had both professional and personal experience of meeting children and adults who had experienced sight loss. Fortunately, they held a craft and social group on my non-working day and it was easy to travel to by public transport. Crafts are not my forte so I was really pleased to be able to choose what I would like to do to fit in with their requirements. I really enjoyed meeting their clients, sharing our life stories and supporting them with small tasks. This included fixing small items or contacting other organisations on their behalf to make access to travel and health appointments easier. I supported them with information about their health and accessing their appointments at the hospital so when I look back on this now, this was an example of recognising and assessing barriers and working alongside others to provide a better experience which is something I do in my day-to-day work.

During the pandemic, I continued to volunteer as a telephone befriender calling the clients who were lonely and isolated.

Volunteering was always something I looked forward to. It has provided me with a sense of fulfilment at different times in my life and shown me different sides to Reading that I did not know about and continue to learn more about.

I am fortunate to visit many community venues as part of my work and meet wonderful volunteers that work across the different groups and organisations in Reading.

I am able to see first-hand some of the different roles volunteers do such as provide a caring, listening ear, work in community cafes, translate for those who have English as a second language. These are just a few of the many roles volunteers carry out which contribute to the successful running of the organisation. It is a pleasure to meet people from a range of backgrounds and skills and hear their stories.
It is a special time when Volunteers’ week comes around and I am looking forward to the events across the town.

Azra,
Inclusion Manager
Reading Voluntary Action

Are you interested in volunteering?

Please have a look at the Volunteering Opportunities that are currently available by clicking here! The website is updated with new and exciting roles on a regular basis from organisations all around the Reading area!