25 Years of EmployAbility
From Saturday 1 – Friday 7 June, it’s Volunteers’ Week 2019. This week is a chance to celebrate and say thank you for the fantastic contribution millions of volunteers make across the UK. So, we are sharing with you stories from individuals we support who are volunteers either through our EmployAbility service or elsewhere.
Hi, I attend the Surrey Choices Ashford Office Project and the Laleham Project as well as having a volunteering job!
Since joining these projects, my confidence has grown so much. I feel like I am ready for whatever may come in the future as I am a much more independent person now.I have been volunteering at a local cafe near where I live for over eight months now. Some of my responsibilities include taking customers orders, serving them their food and drink, keeping the Cafe clean, working in the kitchen and on the till.I was really nervous before I started because I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know who I would be working with and who would come into the Cafe. With the help of the vocational projects at Surrey Choices boosting my confidence, I was able to get over my worries and think ‘I can only do my best’.The Cafe that I volunteer at is local but I still get to and from work by bus. I was always scared about public transport and in preparation for this job I was given travel training at the projects which really helped me feel comfortable catching the bus by myself. I am now travelling by bus anywhere I need to go alone, and it makes me feel great being able to go to my volunteering job easily.Working at the Cafe has helped me grow a lot. My communication skills have improved, I now enjoy talking to all the new people that I meet who come in for a drink or a snack. I have also learned lots of skills to help me gain future employment like customer service, managing my time and the importance of being organised. One of my favourite things about working at the Cafe is the free coffee!
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