Volunteering is something that has been on my mind for a few years. I struggled to find a charity where volunteering looked fun, and I thought I could be of use and have a positive impact. I met GYC when they attended an open day at Moog in Tewkesbury.  It was clearly a great charity, run by fantastic people, and I was given a list of ways in which I could help through volunteering.

My first activity was a bowling event, just before Christmas… I was excited to meet the other volunteers, meet the young carers, and get the first one under my belt! It was a brilliant night, and the GYC team instantly made me feel very welcome. The young carers were a great bunch, full of personality.

Learning to understand what GYC need to keep functioning and growing as a great charity has been eye-opening. I’ve really enjoyed working with the GYC team. Having an influence on my place of work partnering with GYC for the next 12 months has been great! And, of course, meeting the young carers – they are loads of fun! It’s a totally positive experience – even giving a small amount of time where I can has given me a big lift.  

I would absolutely recommend GYC, 100%! The team are fantastic, and so appreciative of even the small amount of time and effort I have given. If you’re interested in volunteering, I would encourage you to get in touch and have a chat with the team: They are not pushy at all, and everyone there is enthusiastic and passionate about the great work that they do. Irrespective of your prior experience, there will be plenty of things you can get stuck into and help with.  

I’m looking forward to pushing the collaboration between my place of work and GYC and getting involved with more events!