National Star celebrates its volunteers for Volunteers Week
In celebration of Volunteers Week National Star spotlighted some of the men and women who donate their time and passion to the charity.
Volunteers Week is an annual celebration of the fantastic contribution millions of volunteers make across the UK. It takes place from 1 to 7 June every year. To mark the occasion we asked a selection of volunteers why they are passionate about helping National Star make a difference to the lives of people with disabilities.
Seb Sargeant is a former National Star College student who now volunteers in our Customer Services team at Ullenwood, Cheltenham. He said that his role has enabled him to stay social during the transition from education to the wider community.
‘I left three years ago and I wanted to come back and volunteer. It’s the contact. It’s something to keep me active, so I’m not just leaving college and then sitting at home thinking, “what do I do next?”’
Emily Knight has been volunteering at StarPrint, our printing social enterprise, for two years. She supports the team by fulfilling orders for personalised items, such as T-shirts and mugs. To Emily, volunteering means having the opportunity to help other people.
‘It makes me feel like I’m doing something for someone else…whether it’s staff or students. I enjoy working here so much. There’s nothing to lose, and you can only get benefits out of it.’
Emily’s placement has also helped her land her first proper job.
Chris Auker-Howlett, who volunteers in Learning Services, echoed the same desire to make a difference.
‘If you’ve helped somebody put their point over or empowered somebody to do something they’ve not done before, then that makes me feel like I’ve put something back. You’re going in, helping others, and in turn, helping yourself.
‘From whatever part of life you come from, whether it be working in business or being a parent or other lines of work, you’ve always got something to bring to the students and to the college.’
Volunteering opportunities at National Star are diverse, and individuals may be matched to roles within Fundraising, Estates, Transport, Learning Services or specialist health care. We appreciate any amount of time people can spare – whether it’s just one day, a week or a regular commitment. We love to work with volunteers that come from different backgrounds and have different experiences, and we particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities.
Find out more about opportunities to volunteer at National Star.
