Gemma's Story

My introduction into volunteering started when I joined the North Lanarkshire Council Youth Work Youth Climate Ambassadors during the second lockdown. I was introduced to the group when a friend told me about the amazing opportunities she had been a part of, the people she had met and how she had even been able to receive a national award as part of the group. Being passionate about the environment and sustainability, I jumped at the opportunity to try and make a difference. 

Before the first call, I was very nervous; I was worried about meeting a new group of people for the first time, I didn’t know what to expect and felt like I was totally out of my depth speaking about climate change. However, I was immediately put at ease when I joined the call. Everyone was so welcoming, kind, and supportive which made me feel comfortable enough to start participating in discussions, taking part in debates, and just chatting with others. 

Through the climate ambassadors group, I was given so many amazing opportunities including the chance to plan and host our group’s annual EcoFest event, create content for and manage the group’s Instagram page and even deliver a solo presentation on the work of the group at Motherwell Civic Centre for a Senior Pupil Sustainability Conference. 

My involvement with the climate ambassadors inspired me to get involved with other groups. Through the climate ambassadors WhatsApp chat, one of the group leaders sent an application for the Scotland’s Young People’s Forest Panel through Young Scot. I applied and was lucky enough to be accepted and this began my involvement with Young Scot. Since then, I have also been a member of the #YouthVIP panel and the Young Scot App Working Group and have had the opportunity to attend other YS events such as focus groups, one-off sessions and the annual ‘Training Fest’ event. Through Young Scot, I have been able to participate in opportunities through external groups such as delivering a presentation on Intergenerational Working at an Edinburgh University HR Conference with Volunteering Matters and being a part of a panel for a COSLA conference. 

This year, I was made a #IWILL ambassador for Scotland and in terms of school, I have been appointed Head Girl and am also member of multiple charity groups and ambassador programmes.

All of this to say, I have had quite a varied range of volunteering opportunities and thus it is difficult to put into words all of the ways volunteering has changed me as a person. I have noticed a range of benefits, had a range of experiences and have met so many new and interesting people. Not every volunteering opportunity is the same, and there is something out there for everyone, no matter what they are passionate about. 

For me, I think the experiences I have had and the skills and qualities that I have developed sum up why I believe that volunteering is so amazing. 

Firstly, not only have I been given the chance to speak at national conferences, deliver presentations to large audiences and participate and host interviews, but I have also been able to do such events with confidence. The girl I am now who is able to speak at these events is far removed from the girl who I used to be, who could not raise her hand to answer a question in class because she was so shy. This confidence came about as a result of being ‘thrown into the deep end’ in the best way possible by participating in events offered to me through groups and then gradually becoming comfortable doing so. The nerves never truly go away, however, it is a lot less of a debilitating fear than it used to be. 

Secondly, it has allowed me to explore my interests. Not only am I able to do presentations, speeches, interviews and other activities, I l also enjoy doing them. I used to see it as a chore when I had to do public speaking in school or something that I just had to get over with but ever since my first solo presentation with the climate ambassadors, I realised how much I enjoy doing events like that and now actively seek out any opportunity to do so. Talking about the amazing work a group I’m involved in is doing and speaking about the value of having young voices involved in decisions making, something I am very passionate about, is powerful. Important people are listening to what young people have to say, and I greatly appreciate the opportunity to be one of the young people who gets to speak. My love of public speaking and youth advocacy has led me to exploring different career options and have resulted in me working towards attending university to study law – something which I never thought I’d ever have the desire or the confidence to do. 

Last but certainly not least, the people I have met through volunteering are truly some of the most amazing people I have ever met. Hearing stories of what my peers have achieved, the events they have participated in and what they are passionate about has is genuinely inspiring and I welcome the chance to learn from them, their stories and their experiences. 

These are just some of the benefits I have realised to volunteering, but in all honesty the list is endless. If any young person out there reading this and is considering getting involved in volunteering, my advice is to just do it as it is truly one of the most valuable things I have ever done, and I think the vast majority of young volunteers would say the same. There are so many benefits to you, to others and to your future through getting involved in volunteering and above all else – it’s so much fun! So, take a leap of faith and join a group, attend a panel session or become an ambassador – you won’t regret it!