‘I work Monday to Thursday and for the last two years my job has involved a lot of workshop delivery in primary schools across East Riding and Lincs so I’ve struggled for free time’
Rachel completed her volunteer training with Hull & East Yorkshire Children’s University in 2024 and has kept it up throughout job changes and growing family. Here is why Rachel still finds the time to support our charity:
‘Every time I volunteer, I hear at least one child say how much they’ve loved the experience. Lots of children ask if they can come back tomorrow, and say it’s been the “best day ever” which always hits you in the feels. What we do helps broaden horizons and inspire young minds, it’s really important. It’s also worth noting that it’s more than just the educational experience that they’re taking part in, they build knowledge, but they also build confidence and team working skills.’
A lot of our volunteers come from local businesses that have supported us on our HEYCU in the Future business visits and wanted to get more involved. For Rachel, the experience made her realise what her priorities were, and it changed the direction of her own career:
‘My first experience working with HEYCU was back in early 2022, when I worked at Giacom and organised three days of site visits and activities for two different schools. It was an absolute pleasure to see how much the children enjoyed their field trip and the positive impact it had on them all. That bit of CSR is actually what spurred me on to get out of my marketing role and into something more aligned with my skills and interests – HEYCU played a part in me landing the community coordinator role at KCOM!
HEYCU have a close relationship with KCOM and I was lucky to work with them on numerous occasions like Breakfast with Santa and Safer Internet Day. When I left the business, I wanted to continue taking part in the incredible work they do, so I now volunteer for HEYCU.
Occasionally I end up back at KCOM for experiences based at their Learning Zone, which is fab!’
.jpg)
Rachel is a volunteer that is always looking for additional ways to support our children and improve their lives and often supports on our seasonal drives. She enjoys the flexibility of our volunteering system, being able to choose which experiences (favouring our locals) and when, to fit around her schedule.
‘Everyone is lovely.. I find the relaxed approach is ideal – if we had to volunteer five times a year to stay registered for example, I’d struggle with that. But as it’s so flexible and the booking system is easy to use, I don’t see why I wouldn’t continue volunteering.’
If you would like to join our team as a volunteer, please register here.