Volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. Last year alone, our volunteers contributed more than 14,000 hours of their time, supporting everything from computer refurbishment to packing containers. One of these volunteers is Cameron.
Before joining our team, Cameron was struggling with depression, spending a significant amount of time indoors. In a bid to break his cycle of isolation, he applied to our volunteer programme here in Edinburgh – and he’s never looked back.
I spent a lot of time inside and isolated, and it wasn’t good for me… I needed an outlet to get away from depression. Volunteering has given me something to look forward to and brought me a sense of peace.
Since starting his volunteering journey with the Turing Trust, Cameron has not only gained new knowledge and skills, but has developed a newfound confidence, and most importantly, forged new friendships with others in his local community. It’s been truly fantastic to witness Cameron’s development – we’re so grateful to have him on our team.
Speaking on his experience as a volunteer, Cameron adds: “I’ve volunteered in other places before, and the experience wasn’t quite the same. When I came here, it just felt right. Everyone cares, and it’s clear you want the volunteers to have the best experience possible.
It’s all very flexible. You’re thanked for the time you give, and there’s no pressure. The sense of accomplishment and fulfilment you get once you come in makes everything worth it. Even the small tasks completed feel like big wins.”
As a charity, we’ve worked hard to build a volunteer programme that makes a real difference – both to our work and the lives of our volunteers. From volunteer workshops to regular staff socials, we’re constantly evolving our programme and creating new opportunities for our volunteers build new knowledge, skills and connections.
We’re always keen to welcome new volunteers to our workshop here in Edinburgh. If you’d like to get involved, head to our volunteering page to learn more.
