#Volunteersweek takes place 1-7 June every year. It's a chance to recognise the fantastic contribution volunteers make to our communities and say thank you. Focus Surrey would like to recognise the more than 380 volunteers who have been pivotal to the success of the Saturday club which has been running since September 2016. One of our current volunteers Dia Kurup explains why she volunteered at Focus Surrey.
Just after my GCSE exams, I started my Gold Duke of Edinburgh programme. Having volunteered in different situations, I wanted to find something engaging and exciting. I then received an email from school in regards to Focus Surrey and immediately was drawn in.
I was anxious when I first went for the training session, not knowing what to expect or if would have to know. Everyone around me seemed much more experienced and being one of the youngest was quite daunting. However, this feeling immediately dissipated. Everyone around me was so warm and comforting and were to help anytime I needed it.
The following week, I was filled with enthusiasm to get to meet the children. In my role, as a play facilitator, unlike the tutors, I wasn’t limited to one child per session. I was able to interact with almost all of the children and get to work with their parents and their assigned tutors. I gained so many skills and the improvement in my confidence was staggering. Each week was different to the last and brought new things to learn and challenges to overcome.
What really had an impact on me was watching and learning from the other volunteers. Not only the positive impact they had on the children but also the relationships they developed with them. That’s when I knew this was so much more than just any club. Over the weeks of my first term, I got closer to the children, their parents and also with the other volunteers. Everyone was extremely dedicated and went above and beyond to help every child that attended. The atmosphere the club creates is filled with happiness and warmth.
Each week, I left exhausted. Yet, I was filled with a sense of pride and happiness that I would have never gotten from anywhere else. At the end of every session we have a debrief which allows us to share our experiences with each other and reflect. A very valuable skill that I wish to continue to develop. The way I communicate with others and interact has constantly developed over the weeks I’ve been with Focus, and I could not be more grateful to them for my progress.
My two terms at Focus Surrey have been nothing short of fantastic. The experience and the skills I have developed through them are invaluable. It is an honour to be able to say that I am now a volunteer tutor at Focus Surrey.
If you would like to volunteer at Focus Surrey for its next term in September please email focussurrey@hotmail.com
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