Hear from Volunteers

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Glasgow is a city with a proven track record of hosting major events, made spectacular by volunteers who volunteer their time, knowledge and passion to help support and deliver successful events and projects throughout the city. The Glasgow 850 Volunteer and Employability Programme will gather and share stories from volunteers on the reason why they volunteer and hopefully inspire your own volunteering journey.

Read some of our volunteer stories here.

Aderonke's Story

Aderonke was a volunteer ambassador for the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 2024 after volunteering for other major events in Glasgow. Aderonke studied Event Management at university in the city and wanted to gain an understanding of how events worked.

My favourite memory of the World Athletics Indoor Championships was during the volunteer selection sessions. I had the opportunity to meet so many volunteers from different backgrounds, experiences and walks of life. It was a learning process for me as this afforded me to grow skills that I need to excel in my career.

Volunteering is my way of contributing positively to the community. Since I started volunteering, I now understand what it truly means for one to have empathy, how equality, diversity and inclusion should affect and influence the decisions we make and how we relate to others.

Aderonke says "There is something special and truly inspirational about volunteering. Everyone should try it!"

Lynn's Story

Lyn first started volunteering in 2014 after a trip to the London Olympics sparked her interest in major events. She is now a regular volunteer at events in Glasgow and loves taking part to help promote her city to the world stage. This photo was taken at Lyn's first volunteering shift (the first shift for everyone in the photo).

It was taken after the dress rehearsal for the opening ceremony where the team had been soaked by the rain and based at the furthest point from the ceremony location.

"The team had a fantastic time! The spectators and general public were so excited to see us and all wanted to chat. This is when I really caught the bug for volunteering."

Cynthia's Story

Through volunteering I acquired a great number of skills. Volunteering encourages everyone, young or old to think of others and become compassionate. It also allows you to discover what you truly are good at as you develop different skills.

Volunteering brings together a diverse range of people from all walks of life. It helps you to gain perspective on life as there is no better way to understand your blessings than to help others. The most amazing thing about volunteering is that there is a volunteering opportunity for everyone, no matter what your interests or experience.

Paul's Story

Paul has volunteered at many events since his first experience as a Spectator Services volunteer with Glasgow 2018 European Championships. Paul has supported many activities at the Emirates Arena and his most recent role in a major event was as a team leader, supporting other spectator services volunteers to create a great atmosphere for the public.

"Volunteering is massively important to me. I have a lifelong disability which has curtailed my ability to work. By volunteering, I feel I am doing my bit and contributing to the community. Volunteering is vital to my mental health and self-esteem - not forgetting the fact that it's always good fun."

Paul advises anyone who is thinking about joining the team but has not volunteered before to "come along and join in. You will have new experiences, new challenges and meet lots of new people. You will find a group of friendly, enthusiastic volunteers who will support you to get the most out of your volunteering experience."

Temple/Shafton Youth Project

Temple / Shafton Youth Project are a small community based children's charity that provides children and young people with a wide range of services from drop in groups, to outdoor education and more personalised one to one services.

Paul explained, "As a children's charity youth project, it is very hard for us to get funding, and our main source of income is from grants and trusts. So, for us, if we did not receive support from volunteers, we would have to consider closing the doors of the project."

"Over the years we have seen people grow through the participating in our programme, then becoming volunteers and giving back to the project that has supported them. We have been lucky with this model, and it has been very successful for us. For example, we have a group of 6-8 young girls aged 14/15 years who help their peers in groups. Already two have expressed wishes to have a career working with Children. This just shows how important volunteering is to gain an insight into different industries and to build confidence."

Paul stated that for the main paid workforce, 75% volunteered at a young age with the project. One young person explained that they have attended the Hut since they were in primary school and continued to attend through secondary school, becoming a volunteer at age 14. They are now 22 years old in a paid position for the past 3 years in charge of planning and developing groups.

One young girl aged 14 years said "I came to the Hut from the age of 5. I have worked my way up over the years, volunteering and gaining lots experiences, such as outdoor adventure and sailing across the English Chanel on Tall Ships. Volunteering with the Hut is helping me with my future as I want to work with children and this allows me to gain experience."

Home-Start Glasgow South

Home-Start Glasgow South is a family support Charity based in Glasgow South. We work with families, with at least one child up to the age of 8, who are struggling to cope with the challenges of parenting along with sometimes difficult personal circumstances.

Our volunteers visit families for 2-3 hours each week in their own home to provide practical and emotional support. If a family is isolated, they may need support to go to a local group. An overwhelmed parent may need help to organise the household, or it could be that mum or dad just need someone to talk to. A volunteer can make a big difference in a couple of hours a week. Volunteering in the family home can also include Perinatal Support (Pregnancy- 2 years) and English Tutoring.

The support and friendship volunteers can provide is invaluable and can help take away some of the stresses of day-to-day life, enabling parents to cope better with daily tasks and improve their confidence, giving their children the best possible start in life. "Having my volunteer come to visit was really helpful after I had my second baby as I was struggling mentally and physically. Her weekly visits really made a big difference" (Family Supported By Home-Start Glasgow South Volunteer).

Volunteering to support families within your local community can be extremely rewarding. Not only can it boost your own confidence and self-esteem, it can also provide you with knowledge, skills and experiences, as well as fulfilment and friendship. It can also help further career opportunities.

Home-Start Glasgow South provide a free course for all new volunteers which will ensure you are fully prepared to support families. We offer additional training opportunities to our volunteers throughout the year in areas such as Infant Feeding, Perinatal Mental Health and Understanding Autism. The team at Home-Start Glasgow South are always here to provide support and guidance at any point in the volunteer journey.

"Volunteering with Home-Start Glasgow South has given me a great sense of achievement and purpose" (Home-Start Glasgow South Volunteer).

"I have enjoyed helping and supporting the family, building their confidence and self-belief. I have learned lots from the family I support and I always feel appreciated" (Home-Start Glasgow South Volunteer).

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