Hear, Hear Volunteer!
All organisations no matter how large or small, can benefit from volunteers. For some organisations, it’s a lifeline and The Pythian Club are no exception.
Currently volunteers work across a huge variety of roles within the Club from research, design and/or delivery of sports sessions, supporting our community garden project, outreach/detached work, mentoring and more.
Ben Rosser, CEO of The Pythian Club, commented , ”Volunteers are a crucial part of The Pythian Club’s existence. As a Community Interest Company, much of our work relies on volunteers who so generously give of their time to support the communities in which we work and help to make a real difference in the lives of others. Our gratitude goes out to those past and present volunteers, thank you to you all, for all you do for us and the community.”
Volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds. Some are currently studying, some may be retired or some are ready to try something new. Most recently the Club worked in collaboration The Prince’s Trust on a ‘Get started in Multi-Sport’ programme. As David Udoh, Head of Service Delivery The Prince's Trust explains, “The Trust’s 5 day ‘Get Started’ courses are designed to give young people an experience and insight into a particular sector alongside developing their confidence. Following on from the successful delivery, The Prince’s Trust are so grateful for the opportunities that have been made available to the young people post programme by The Pythian Club. All young people in the cohort have been able to embark on a 12 week voluntary position as Pythian Ambassadors alongside receiving specific accreditation. It is fair to say, so many of these young people have rediscovered their purpose and have embarked on an incredible journey!”
Find out a little more from the experience of some of our volunteers…
“As a Public Health student, I decided to volunteer with The Pythian Club (TPC) because it offered me so many different avenues to get involved with. TPC is made up of so many different people, all with different qualities which really help it to thrive and be respected in the community. I enjoy the variety the role brings whether it be representing the Club at conferences or attending the Premier Kicks Friday Football just chatting to young attendees. I feel like I make a real difference in my role as mentor where I provide 1 to 1 support to young people helping them achieve their personal and career goals. I also love that TPC feels like a family, and I have enjoyed the friendships I’ve made with other staff too. An unexpected benefit is the personal and career support I’ve received from the Club whether within working hours and even outside of work too. One of my most valued moments to-date was seeing the young people who attended an Active Leaders Course bond so well across the week-long course and that despite many personal issues they were facing, or even how much they said they struggled to get up each morning, they attended. The work TPC does is directly related to my studies where we focus on social issues such as inequalities. As part of TPC, we help reduce these inequalities, giving young people better wellbeing which in turn improves their health outcomes. So really volunteering with TPC feels like my degree in real life practise!” – Charlotte, Public Health Student, University of Nottingham & The Pythian Club volunteer.
“I really enjoy gardening so when I heard about The Secret Garden, The Pythian Club’s community garden project, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to use these skills and help in the community. I feel I help the community by helping create a space where families and people can come and enjoy being in nature while being safe. The best thing to me about volunteering at the garden is being able to be in nature and meet new people.” Sammy, Computer Science & AI student, The University of Nottingham & The Secret Garden volunteer.
“I wanted to volunteer for TPC to help young people do what they love. TPC have also given me the opportunity to complete a sports course qualification with the hopes of becoming a personal trainer alongside my work with the Club. Having survived an incredibly tough upbringing, hanging around with the wrong crowd and becoming homeless, I now use my life experience and my experience as an undefeated, unlicensed boxer, to help mentor others. I love to see the young people doing something they enjoy knowing that I’m helping to lead them down the right path in life. It’s amazing to see what sort of lifestyle the young people are living at the start of joining the sessions compared to where they are weeks, months or years down the line and seeing how much better they are from the help that’s been given by myself and the rest of team. When I first joined TPC, I was on a course with The Prince’s Trust and at the end of the course, Kelly, TPC Project Manager, shared with us how much we meant to her and the TPC family, and that’s a moment that I won’t forget because Kelly and TPC have given me the ultimate opportunity and for that I am extremely grateful. To see that we really do help the young people and just how much they rely on us as well as seeing how far they do come, whether that be making a change in their lives with the way they behave or their lifestyles, to learning a new sport such as boxing, football, tennis, etc. is one of the most unexpected benefits of volunteering.” – Riece, The Prince’s Trust ‘Get Started in Sport’ Graduate and The Pythian Club volunteer.
“The Club’s focus on addressing social issues and promoting equality resonated with me deeply, and I wanted to contribute my time and skills to their cause. I enjoy bringing my unique perspective and experiences, which allows me to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds and understand their needs better. Additionally, my skills in communication, organisation, and problem-solving enable me to contribute to TPC's projects effectively and help foster positive change within the community. Knowing that I am making a difference, no matter how small, and being part of a collective effort to create positive change is incredibly rewarding. Witnessing the impact of our work first-hand and seeing the smiles on the faces of those we help is truly heart-warming. The most unexpected benefit of volunteering for the Club has been the personal growth and development I've experienced. Through my involvement, I have honed my leadership skills, gained a deeper understanding of social issues, and learned to work effectively in a team. Being a student of sport psychology it impacts directly whatever I am doing with the organisation. As a volunteer, my knowledge of sport psychology can help promote mental resilience, motivation, and overall psychological well-being among the individuals in the community. As a volunteer and sports coach for TPC I try understanding young minds related to sports but overall in life as well and help young people to overcome obstacles, set goals, and develop the necessary skills and mindset to thrive in their personal and community endeavours. With my knowledge of team dynamics, communication, leadership, and conflict resolution, I try to foster apositive and effective working environment within TPC and also with young people I work with and also help them understand the importance of group dynamics, facilitate teamwork, cohesion, and collective problem-solving.” Sommo, Sport Psychology Student, Nottingham Trent University and The Pythian Club volunteer.
If you, or someone you know, is considering volunteering, whether you are a graduate, not currently in work, or just have a few hours to spare each week, or perhaps you are part of an organisation who are looking to provide community service; if your values align with the work of The Pythian Club, you are passionate and have a positive outlook, we’d love to hear from you. If you’d like to gain experience within the not-for-profit sector, gain new skills, or to find out more about volunteering with The Pythian Club, please contact us here.
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