Celebrating Volunteers – International Woman’s Day
Sunday 8th March, is ‘International Women’s Day’. The theme this year is ‘Give to Gain’, which highlights the powerful idea that when we give our time, skills, compassion and leadership, we often gain growth, connection, purpose, and unexpected rewards in return. For International Women’s Day, we want to celebrate the women who make a difference in our services through volunteering. We reached out to a few of our volunteers as part of our celebrations for International Women’s Day to discuss their journey with us and what they have gained from giving back to their community through their volunteer work.
Olamide began her volunteering journey with us in 2025 and said: “My inspiration to start volunteering spurred from how much support and love I received from friends, family and community members during my most vulnerable moments. I am a Spinal Cord Injury survivor, and I was only able to recover progressively due to the amount of love and care I received. I thought to pay forward the gesture and the good-will I received whenever and however I could.
My motivation comes from seeing how eager and happy the people we support are during craft sessions. Professionally, I have benefitted from learning craft from a most creative and dynamic way, which I find quite interesting.
There was this particular moment during a craft session where I had a particularly meaningful experience with an individual who was usually very reserved. On that day, the activity was to sketch one another randomly and I decided to sketch his portrait. As I started drawing, he became curious and slowly began to open up. When he saw the portrait sketch, his reaction shifted. He smiled, asked questions and for the first time, and we had a genuine exchange.
That moment made me feel especially proud and connected. It reminded me that art can be a powerful bridge, a way to reach someone beyond words. It taught me that connections do not always begin with conversation, sometimes it begins with being seen.”
We’re also delighted to launch our YouTube video about Julie, a Volunteer in Yardley Mental Health Recovery Hub in Birmingham.
What makes Julie’s volunteering journey so special is that she used to use our services, and as her mental health improved, she set a new goal – to give back and support people with their mental health. For over two years now, Julie has run a peer support session every week called ‘Voices of Hope and Recovery’. She has an excellent rapport with the people that join the sessions, letting them lead the conversation and drawing from her own personal experiences when needed. Julie’s volunteering role has not only developed her own confidence and self-esteem, but she is also a reminder to people who attend the group that recovery is possible.
Julie said “It is a good feeling, helping other people and seeing that you’ve made a positive impact to other people’s lives. If you’re thinking about volunteering then just go for it. You can gain a lot from it, on a personal level and also the people that you’re helping.”
You can watch her video here: Why I Volunteer with Creative Support – Julie’s Story
Yvonne volunteers with us in Doncaster. She is studying Psychology and has a passion to specialise in learning disability. She has worked as a volunteer with Creative Support since 2024, and has developed a wonderful relationship with the people she supports.
Yvonne said: “what I take home with me is the immense joy and satisfaction that is seen on the faces of people I support. When I’m writing my thesis, I know I’m writing about things that I actually get to experience in real life. I think being a volunteer shows people that their time is valued, that we as volunteers are genuinely interested in getting to know them. I think it’s important that volunteers exist to emotionally and psychologically enrich the people and communities they work with.”
Check out the video she made back in 2025: Yvonne’s Volunteering Story – YouTube
The women who volunteer with us are testament that there is power in reciprocity and supporting others. When women use their knowledge, resources, visibility, advocacy, education, training, mentoring, and time, they are actively contributing to create a more gender equal world. Thank you for sharing your stories with us, Olamide, Julie, and Yvonne – you are an inspiration to us all!
If you would like to start your volunteering journey with us, you can find more information on our website page, creativesupport.co.uk/volunteers, or you can reach our helpful volunteering team by emailing Volunteer@creativesupport.co.uk. We look forward to meeting you!