Volunteering Works
Carly’s story
Carly attended an earlier version of the Volunteering Works programme in 2011. She was 17, and had not attended school or any alternative education programmes since S2 when she was 14.
With around 4 months volunteering experience in admin/finance, an SQA Employability Award from Volunteer Glasgow, the experience of a 9 month Community Jobs placement, and support from Jobs and Business Glasgow/Clyde College, she achieved her goal of getting a full-time, permanent admin assistant position with a local printing company.
How have volunteering and the SQA Employability Award helped you personally?
- It helped me get my first real job because I had the experience and had a great reference. I was able to do a good application and the Award gave me good interview practice. I didn’t finish school, I had no qualifications – so if I hadn’t been involved in Volunteer Glasgow I’d probably still be sat in my Mum’s house doing nothing.
What was your volunteer role and what did it involve?
- I helped out with administration at Volunteer Glasgow, including invoicing and cheques, record-keeping, and handling calls.
Why did you decide to volunteer with Volunteer Glasgow?
- They gave our group the chance to do some try-it out volunteering tasters with different charities and supported us to do the SQA Employability Award. They were really good – so when I got the chance to get more experience after completing a Community Jobs placement, I was really happy!
What was the most rewarding aspect of your volunteering?
- It was great fun, I felt I belonged and made some great friends, and it gave me the experience I needed with things like databases and finance.
Tell us about a highlight of your volunteering.
- At Christmas I helped deliver food hampers to families being supported by the Young Person’s Befriending Service. I really enjoyed it! Overall I liked the variety of tasks I got involved in and the people I worked alongside.
If you’re 18-24, unemployed and living in Glasgow, contact Tara or Billy about joining the next Volunteering Works programme:
0141 226 3431 ( Mon – Thurs 9.30 to 4.30 or Fri 9.30 to 3.00)
tara.bentley@volunteerglasgow.org
billy.mcfarlane@volunteerglasgow.org
Image © Volunteer Glasgow/ greenhighlanderimages.co.uk
