If multiple lockdowns have left you feeling adrift and itching for something new to get stuck into, a volunteering role could be a great way to connect with other people, keep busy, and rediscover a sense of purpose and structure outside work.
With our City Hosts volunteering programme now open for applications, there'll be lots of exciting opportunities to get involved with our City of Culture year to look forward to over the next few months.
Volunteering isn't just a great way to give back to the community - it can also offer a range of benefits to volunteers themselves.
To find out more, we spoke to some long-term volunteers from EnV, the Belgrade Theatre and Craft On, who shared their expertise and experiences with us.
“I’ve actually been volunteering since I was 15 years old!” says Zowie Jade, who joined the EnV Coventry Ambassadors last year. “My first volunteer role was with the Acorn’s Hospice charity shop in Jubilee Crescent, and at the time it was mainly down to my mum pushing me out of the door and telling me that I needed to do something with my summers,” she laughs.
“But even though I didn’t really know what it was all about when I started, I found pretty quickly that I got a real buzz from it. Not only did it give me a sense of purpose and a taste of life in the adult world of work, it also really helped me to develop as a person.
“I was a really shy, quiet child – although no one believes me when I say that now! But volunteering in a public-facing role completely changed my perspective, and by the end of it I felt like I could pick up conversations really easily with people of all different ages.”
For Niki Doughty Lee, who runs Craft On, a local needlecraft for wellbeing group, having a network of people to socialise and engage in mindful activity with has been hugely beneficial, particularly during the last year. Many of her group members are people at risk of isolation, including older people living alone and those with experience of mental health issues.
“During the second lockdown, we were allowed to continue with socially distanced sessions at the Belgrade Theatre, because we met the criteria for a support group,” she explains.
“I know that I sometimes get really lonely during the day, and I know that for a lot of people, the group has been a real lifeline. A lot of our members are older people who live alone or people who’ve experienced mental health issues – we actually recently had a referral from Mind. That’s why I’ve been keeping it going even when it’s been difficult – because it’s contact for me and it also makes me feel like I’m doing something useful.”
That opportunity to socialise and feel like part of a community is a big incentive for many volunteers, and not only those who might otherwise be isolated. Narinder Chana, who has been a front of house volunteer at the Belgrade Theatre for over five years, loves feeling like a valued part of the team and getting the chance to widen her social circle.
“I’m a chatty person anyway, but volunteering at the Belgrade has definitely helped me to make new friends. A lot of people at the theatre know me now, and it’s not just the staff or even the audiences who come to see the shows – it’s also the people who come and sit in the foyers for a coffee or for lunch.
“I’ve even made friends with some of the people working on visiting shows that tour to the Belgrade. I love theatre, and one of the things I’ve always been fascinated by is seeing everything that goes on behind the scenes, so I do get chatting to all the sound and tech people to find out more about what they’re doing, because I’m genuinely interested in all the shows and how they’re put together.”
Like Narinder, both Astrid Clarke and David Prescott were initially motivated to sign up as volunteers by the chance to experience and be part of events and activities that interested them. Both signed up as EnV Coventry Ambassadors ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games, and have continued volunteering ever since.
“The range and breadth of activities is really good,” says David. “It’s not all sport. There have been a lot of arts and cultural activities, and I really enjoyed being involved in the RISING Global Peace Forum. I think one of the things I like best about it is that you never really know what situation you’re going to come up against, which can sometimes be very challenging, but it also makes it really interesting.”
Astrid adds, “I’ve followed the Olympics religiously ever since I was a small child, so as soon as I heard that Coventry was going to be one of the venues, I knew I wanted to be involved somehow. It was a once in a lifetime experience.”
“After the Olympics there was a closing party in Millennium Square, and there was such an amazing feeling of team spirit that we knew we had to find a way to continue. Since then I think what’s really motivated me to keep volunteering has been the variety of things we’ve had the chance to be involved in, from big events like the Godiva Festival and the BBC Biggest Weekend, to guiding visitors at events during the City of Culture bid process.”
Like Zowie, Astrid has also discovered some unexpected benefits to volunteering. She’s made new friends and honed existing skills, as well as gaining a few new ones too. As the leader of EnV’s Press and PR Task Group, she’s become a confident radio interviewee, and begun learning more about social media.
But crucially, in a role that’s all about showing off Coventry to the wider world, both Astrid and Zowie agree that volunteering is a great way to get to know your surroundings better, and feel proud of where you come from.
“I was born, raised and educated in Coventry, and it’s amazing to me that even at my age I’m still learning so much about the city,” says Astrid. “I’ve done so many of our Welcome Walks now, but I feel like I learn something new every time I do it. I’ve gained an immense appreciation for what’s unique about Coventry, and how it has reinvented itself over the years. And it’s not just about facts – it’s about all the people who live here, too.”
Zowie adds, “I decided to volunteer with EnV not long after I moved back to Coventry because I really wanted to get involved with the community again and find out more about what’s happening here.
“I’m always very enthusiastic about the place that I live in at any given time, and I love finding out all about the people there and what motivates them. I’ve lived in a lot of different places now – in Singapore, Australia, London and Birmingham – and everywhere I’ve lived I’ve volunteered. It’s such a huge part of my life now, I honestly don’t know where I’d be without it!”
