We recently had the pleasure of welcoming Mel, the Volunteer Centre Coordinator from Community Works, who joined us for an engaging session about volunteering. The event was attended by several of our On Track 2 Work students as well as some of our ESOL students, making it a diverse and enriching experience for everyone involved.
Mel’s session was highly interactive, encouraging our young people to dissect their existing ideas about volunteering. They explored fundamental questions such as “What is volunteering?”, “What do you do as a volunteer?”, and “Why do people volunteer?”. This reflective exercise allowed the participants to gain a deeper understanding of the concept and its impact.
The group discussed a variety of ideas and areas where they could volunteer, including:
Befriending
Managing social media for organisations
Administrative tasks
Working with animals
Nature and environmental sustainability/preservation
One of our young people shared her current volunteering experience at Oxfam, highlighting how it aligns with her passion for books and literature. She said, “I wanted to make sure that [the career] I thought I was interested in is actually something that I’m interested in.” Her story sparked further discussions about the personal motivations behind volunteering.
The session also delved into the various reasons why people choose to volunteer:
To learn more about specific areas of interest
To acquire new skills and knowledge
To improve mental health
To spend time outdoors
To meet new people
To make a difference in the community
To give back and help others
Mel’s visit was not only informative but also incredibly inspiring. It highlighted the numerous benefits of volunteering and how it can be a path to personal growth, skill development, and community involvement. We are grateful to Mel and Community Works for providing our young people with such valuable insights and encouragement.
We look forward to seeing our young people apply what they’ve learned and perhaps even take on new volunteering roles that match their interests and passions. Thank you to everyone who participated and made this session a success!
If you are interested in volunteering opportunities you can always ask any asphaleia staff member or visit: Volunteering opportunities in Brighton, Hove, Adur & Worthing : Community Works
You can also pop into the Community Works Volunteer hub in Worthing:
Adur & Worthing office
Community Works
Freedom Works
Creative & Digital Hub
Stoke Abbott Road
Worthing
BN11 1HJ
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