Let's help.
I Volunteer... at Autism Jersey.
Jenna Volpert, a teenager on a gap year before university. I work as a Health Care Assistant and participate in as many charities as I can.
What do you do and where are you based?
Based in Jersey, the bedrock of my community service is Autism Jersey. I am a befriender. This involves regularly meeting up with an autistic boy to spend quality time together. I also volunteer at the Teenage Social Club.
Why did you start volunteering?
Communal responsibility has been embedded naturally into my being. For as long as I can remember each Christmas we go to care homes to bring cheer with mince pies and carols. Volunteering soon became a natural part of my everyday life.
How do you balance your time between volunteering and work?
Until June last year, I was still at school but I somehow managed to fit in academics, sport, music, friends, family and volunteering. Time management and forward planning were key to this success.
What do you enjoy most about it?
Giving is a blessing for both the giver and the receiver – giving is easy to do and it has a lasting effect. I enjoy the fact that every time I volunteer it is an opportunity to grow and develop.
And what would you say to someone who was considering volunteering?
Go for it – you will learn so much and will find it incredibly rewarding.
