Celebrating the real people and real lives behind volunteering
When you picture a volunteer, you might imagine one type of person, someone with lots of free time, a huge heart, and a natural instinct to help. It’s a beautiful image – but it’s also limiting. The truth is there’s no single type of person who volunteers. But who they are before volunteering and beyond that moment is what truly makes volunteering diverse, and possible.
Before they are volunteers, they are mums and dads, students, teachers, and retirees, friends, and neighbours. They are people with full, complex lives, juggling work, family, studies, and everything in between. During this year’s Volunteers’ Week, Tempo was proud to celebrate over 20,000 individuals across the UK who give their time through our network. They each have a story. They each bring something different. And together, they show that volunteering doesn’t ask you to change who you are – it invites you to offer what you already have.
Take, for example, some volunteer stories we know of like Jacqui, who volunteers with Voices from the Frontline, a women-led community group. She shares: “It makes me feel good that I am helping others to not feel alone. Helping others helps me.”
There’s also Eleri, who volunteers at The Wallich, supporting people who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness. Her involvement started through a recovery programme: “Volunteering helped me to build my confidence and self-esteem back up after years of addiction. I now support others who are going through what I did.”
Donna, a volunteer with Thrive Women’s Aid, dedicates her time to helping women and children affected by domestic abuse. “As a survivor, volunteering helps me to give back and show others there is a way through. It’s healing for me too.”
Then there’s Carrie, aged 36, a mum of four and full-time carer to her husband, who volunteers at CYCA. She reflects: “Giving back to the community is the most amazing feeling and a huge accomplishment. I have met some amazing people and made new friends… at one point in my life I would have thought it impossible.”
Finally, David Jones volunteers every week at Sherman Theatre in Cardiff, welcoming guests and assisting with events. Living with a learning disability, he’s found a deep sense of purpose through volunteering: “Volunteering fills my time. It gives me more experience and helps me to be more confident!”
What we see across all our work, is that volunteering isn’t something you have to wait until you’re less busy, more skilled, or more confident to do.
It’s something that fits around real life, however messy or complicated it may be. The stories of Jacqui, Eleri, Donna, Leah, Carrie and David, are just a handful of thousands, yet they show how broad the spectrum of volunteering truly is.
At Tempo, we feel an enormous sense of gratitude to support these individuals and help recognise their contributions. Our Time Credits are one small way we celebrate the time they give, whether it’s an hour a month or a day each week, individuals earn Time Credits that can be redeemed for a wide range of free activities, from bowling and theatre trips to family days out at local attractions. It’s a thank you that allows volunteers to spend quality time with loved ones, discover something new, and feel celebrated for the difference they make with no financial pressures.
To find out more about Time Credits, local volunteering opportunities, and ways you could enjoy activities at no cost as a thank you on our website www.wearetempo.org
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