Jess began her journey with Mencap as a
volunteer
A volunteer is someone who helps out by doing work for free.
and, through her dedication and love for the role, progressed into a paid position.
We chatted with Jess about her experience Experience is when you have learned or tried something before. and the difference volunteering has made in her life.
How did your journey with Mencap begin?
“One day, me and my mum were driving past Bury Donation Station and I popped in to have a look around. I asked if I could volunteer – and two and a half years later, I’m still here! I’d previously volunteered with an animal charity and at Cats Protection in Bury, where I also moved into a paid role.”
What did you enjoy most about volunteering?
“I love serving customers – I’ve got my regulars now, and we always have a little chat. It’s such a friendly place to be, I really enjoy coming in. Volunteering here gave me a lot of confidence. I used to be quite shy, but not anymore – haha.
I’ve learned to take on tasks myself. I might need a bit of time to plan things out, but I feel much more confident now. Sarah, our area
manager
A manager is a boss at work. They tell you what you need to do and give you support if you need it.
, gave me some really lovely feedback on a task I did recently, and that’s the kind of thing that keeps you going.”
What impact has volunteering had on you?
“It’s made me feel happy and proud. I like that I can see something through – unpacking, tagging, hanging things up, and then selling them on the till.
It’s also changed how I interact with people. I’m more polite and patient now because I know what it’s like being on the other side as staff. And I feel confident taking on projects like changing the toy displays or pricing tricky items like bric-a-brac.
I have a
learning disability
A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things.
and
dyslexia
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty. People who have dyslexia can find it hard to read, write and spell.
, but even that has improved. I’m not great at maths, but cashing up has helped me come on leaps and bounds. Louise spent time teaching me, and now I hardly look at the instructions in the folder.
When it’s busy, I’m better at handling pressure too. I can give tasks to volunteers and help to keep the shop floor running smoothly.”
How did volunteering help you into paid work?
“My time at Cats Protection and Bury DS gave me loads of experience. I actually volunteered every day at Bury because I enjoyed it so much. It’s a big shop, so there was always something new to learn. Louise, our manager, saw my potential and encouraged me to apply for the Store Assistant role. I started volunteering in May and was offered the role in January.”
What would you say to someone thinking of volunteering with Mencap?
“We’d welcome you with open arms. It’s a great place to be , we always have a laugh, it’s never a dull day haha.”
Interested in volunteering with Mencap?
To find out more about volunteering with The Royal Mencap Society simply visit our volunteering page on our
website
A website is a page you can go to on the internet like Google or YouTube.
, or email a member of our Volunteering team.
By Mencap