We spoke to our Volunteer Olivia, who supports the Communications team, about why she gives her time to volunteer with us.
What inspires you to give your time to volunteer?
I have always been a big believer that true value comes from putting love out into the world and I am drawn to charity basically just because I think it’s important to help people who need it. We are all living on the same planet and should be treated with the same respect and dignity and there fundamentally should not be such huge disparities within our society so I try to help in any small ways that I can.
Why did you want to volunteer for Changing Lives in particular?
I volunteered with Changing Lives specifically because of all the wonderful homeless people that I have met since living in Newcastle. I became extremely aware that I spoke to them a lot but never could really action anything concrete for them, so I joined Changing Lives to try and be more involved and have a positive input into a town that has been so kind to me.
What do you get out of volunteering? Is there a way that you benefit too, alongside the benefit you bring to the people we support/Comms team.
I find it very meaningful. I think it’s pretty well known that giving is much more rewarding than taking. I always feel a sense of unity and belonging when I volunteer, I really believe helping people is a big part of what makes us human and it is important not to forget about that in the individualistic world we live in. There is no greater feeling than doing something beyond yourself, and knowing that I have done something that might have impacted someone else’s life positively is incredibly uplifting.
Are you interested in volunteering with us? Learn more here.
