I volunteered because it was a new experience for me, it took me a while to get involved because it was something outside my comfort zone. I volunteered in dance with the charity organisation AchieveMore. This gave me the opportunity to assist in our sessional classes weekly and help out at our annual holiday camps.
Blog post by Amy, AchieveMore Scotland, Glasgow
I first volunteered with AchieveMore in 2016, when I was just 16 and the first bit of volunteering I had taken part in was our annual October Week Camp. Ever since that experience – that’s when I knew that this is something I loved to do – I always wanted to stay a part of it. By volunteering, I have now gotten myself a night time class which is on 2 nights a week in a poverty-stricken area in Glasgow. When I first took part in volunteering at the dance, I wasn’t sure that I would stick to it because of how far that it would actually take me out of my comfort zone. For me taking this opportunity that I was being given was a big risk, because I didn’t want to let anyone down including the children I was volunteering with. When I got my first group of children, there was around 20/30. I didn’t believe when people said that the bond you make with the children you interact with will be a bond like no other. 3 years later and I still have some of the same children attending weekly and I was proven wrong: the bond is like no other. When the first set of children left it was hard; but then when I got my present bunch to volunteer with, the bond created was amazing and just like the first time. And this was all down to me starting where all of the children I teach started and I danced my way up to my position within the charity just now.
I wouldn’t be where I am today or who I am if it wasn’t for Achieve more Scotland.
“From the editor: Amy took part in the International Volunteer Event in Zagreb (10-14 June 2019) as part of the Glasgow team, selected by Glasgow Caledonian University. She volunteers for AchieveMore Scotland.”
Header photo by Anna Earl on Unsplash