Betsan’s volunteering story
My advice would be to not hold back & take any opportunity you can within the different teams. Asking lots of questions has also helped me within both my volunteering and my work.
Name: Betsan Williams
What made you want to start volunteering with us?
I first heard about Humankind at University about 3 years ago. I did a project with The Greens in Sheffield and found it really interesting, so I looked for some other vacancies and found one at Forward Leeds.
What was your volunteer role and what skills did you gain as a volunteer?
I was a Recovery Volunteer for the FIT team. Doing this role gave me a lot more confidence, as well as more rounded knowledge on substances and harm reduction.
When did you start working at Humankind? How did that come about?
I started working at Humankind about a month ago. When I was in volunteering, someone mentioned a Forward Leeds Recruitment Webinar that was happening that night, so I decided to go along and see what vacancies were available that matched my experience and career path.
Did you have any support in the application process, or from the Volunteer Programme in general that led you to gaining employment?
I did a mock interview with Carys (the Regional Volunteer Coordinator for Leeds, Bradford & North Yorkshire). This really helped me build on the confidence I had gained through volunteering and showed me how to use this experience in an interview setting.
What does a typical day look like for you now?
A typical day for me now would be having appointments with clients and writing up notes. However, I am also doing some extra work for my development to gain more experience within the field. This includes shadowing in the courts and working with the enhanced care team.
What advice would you give to someone that’s considering volunteering/working at Humankind?
My advice would be to not hold back & take any opportunity you can within the different teams. Asking lots of questions has also helped me within both my volunteering and my work.
