Ron

“Having been an ex-service user of Framework, I wanted to give something back.”

“Having been unemployed for a while, I felt I needed to engage with work activity to demonstrate that I can still use the skills I have gained through life in a useful way.Having been an ex-service user of Framework, I wanted to give something back for all the amazing support I had received from them, so I thought, why not volunteer! I started by Framework journey by volunteering in the Fundraising Department. This involved trying to raise funds from Trusts and Grants to support our Street Outreach Team in Sheffield.

After volunteering for 6 months and gaining experience and know-how in this area, a permanent position was advertised in the fundraising team to support fundraising efforts in Lincolnshire. As I live in Newark this as ideal, so I applied. I was fortunate to be interviewed and offered the job. I’ve been in position for 2 months and I’m happy to say it’s going really well.

The best bits from my volunteering experience were belonging to an experienced team from whom I could learn, and having the opportunity to contribute. It has been very rewarding to be able to put some of my own past skills and experience to use. All this had an extremely positive effect on my mental health and well-being – that sense of ‘belonging’ I missed when I was unemployed.

To anyone thinking about volunteering, do it! It’s such a rewarding experience because you get to belong to a team where experiences and knowledge are shared and valued.I was lucky that my volunteering helped me get a permanent job with the team but even if that didn’t happen the experience was worthwhile in so many ways.”