Manana's Volunteer Story
How did your volunteering journey begin?
I came across a TSL course advertised on Facebook called ‘Welcome to Volunteering’ and decided to apply for it to help me find a volunteer role that could give me skills to look at a career in a new field. The course was ideal for me as it got me out of the house and took my mind of the worries and the pain I was experiencing at the time. The course was a good opportunity to meet new people and share ideas to prepare for volunteering. This all felt quite scary to begin with as I had not done any volunteering for over 10 years due to my work commitments.
What type of activities do you do when you volunteer?
Since attending the course, I have had a one-to-one meeting with one of the TSL team who supported me into a Retail Assistant role with Oxfam. I have been doing this role now for around a month and are currently taking on tasks including receiving and checking donation boxes, sorting through donations and deciding which items are suitable for re-sale or recycle, pricing and hanging items and researching brands to look at the value of donations to decide if they are to be sold online or in the shop.
How has volunteering made a difference to you?
Attending the course and volunteering has so far helped me to build my confidence. I don’t feel as scared to try something new and I feel the skills I am developing are helping me look at jobs that I would never have considered before volunteering.
Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your volunteering experience?
The courses are really helpful for people who have specific skills and want to try something different but are scared to take that first step. The help from the TSL staff has been fantastic and they have always been on hand for support. I feel I have definitely overcome one of my fears and feel more confident to look at new things outside my comfort zone.