Volunteering at Emmaus is, in my opinion, a very unique experience. It has allowed me the chance to get involved in helping the community in ways that I had not expected.

There is a wide diversity of volunteering opportunities within the charity, and in the nature of giving, I have received training and support in return. I primarily volunteer by running the charity’s Instagram page, of which the following has more than doubled since I began my time at Emmaus. It has been so exciting to see the engagement with the page grow, and to communicate with people who are just discovering the charity through our social media.

I have also been given the chance to write press releases to send to local media outlets and to conduct interviews which I turned into written stories to be published on the charity website.

Being given the chance to contribute to the functioning of a charity in creative ways that feed into my own skills and interests has truly been a great opportunity. Volunteering does not have to mean long hours, there are all sorts of ways to get involved and make a positive impact, even for the busiest people.

I want to go on and work in marketing and PR, and the experience I have got from my volunteer work has been invaluable. Aside from the career benefits that volunteering provides, it has also lead to me meeting lots of lovely people and feeling involved in the community, which ultimately is what it’s all about.