YES Manchester is celebrating Volunteers Week by highlighting three people who give their time for our charity.
Agnieszka, Stella and Ahmed have been volunteering in our Newton Heath office, offering support to people in the Greater Manchester area with a range of tasks designed to get them employment, including helping them apply for roles, supporting with their CVs and preparing them for interviews.
Here, they share why they do so and how they hope to inspire others to give their time to a cause close to their heart.
- How did you come to be at YES?
Agnieszka: I came here to get some advice when I was looking for work. I met Marika and she explained to me they have voluntary roles and suggested I do this to get some experience. I wanted to try it.
Stella: I got to know about YES from a friend. They told me if you come here you can get a job.
Ahmed: I was searching online for volunteer roles, and I see YES Manchester so I thought I would check the opportunity out.
- What made you want to volunteer at YES?
Agnieszka: I want to be close to people, to speak with them and help them. Plus, I needed experience with communication.
Stella: I saw the way they treated me: nice and friendly. I showed interest in them and I began volunteering. I started volunteering in January.
Ahmed: I sent an email to Marika, had an appointment and got a voluntary role. It’s close for me and it’s working in the community.
- What have you learned from volunteering at YES?
Agnieszka: The main thing I’ve learned is being open to people because many people come here from different backgrounds, so it’s interesting to meet them and I’ve learned to communicate with them. I have some skills with creating CVs which has helped create my own.
Stella: I’ve learned how to meet different people. I’ve learned to help people to apply for jobs. I’ve learned to help people to manage their work. One client didn’t know how to upload their CV to job websites, so I helped them with that. I’ve built confidence, too.
Ahmed: I’ve learned how to speak to people and how to be patient. I only started volunteering in April.
- How do you feel about helping others on their employment journey?
Agnieszka: I feel grateful that I help people with job opportunities, especially seeing them come back and say they’ve been to their work and had an interview, so it’s a good feeling knowing I can help someone.
Stella: I feel great helping other people because at first I didn’t know how to apply for a job, nor how to upgrade my CV. But now I help other people who are struggling. That part of me is very, very happy and I am grateful because I have learned new skills. I’ve learned all about boldness and confidence, and I tell each customer not to be shy. When I came here, from the beginning, I was told I would get to be where I wanted to be.
Ahmed: It feels good to help others on their journey. I feel accomplished.
- What do you want people to know about Volunteers Week?
Agnieszka: Remember that being a volunteer is not just giving yourself but giving to other people. I now have better communication skills and have received a lot of help and advice.
Stella: I want people to have the courage and the boldness to know that being part of the volunteers’ team means you’ll be going further and further to achieve your goals in life.
Ahmed: Go for it and be a volunteer. It’s a great opportunity to gain new experiences and skills. Give it a try.
- And lots of YES’s volunteers go on to secure paid work of their own after giving their time…
Marika helped Agnieszka create her own CV and she has since been offered a job with a local school. Stella has also secured work following her volunteering at YES.
If you need support with work, contact us on 0161 260 1600 or email us on yesinfo@yesmanchester.co.uk.
We are able to provide a wide range of services thanks to the help of our partners
