Sam started volunteering at the weekends at Pause Cat Cafe when he was 15, alongside his school work and sports. He started by learning how to work on the bar making drinks for visitors, and after a while he took on another weekly shift caring for the rescue cats who live at Pause. Sam has since gone on to college and employment. We asked Sam some questions about his experiences of volunteering…
Tell us about volunteering at Pause Cat Cafe…
“My favourite thing that I have done is volunteer at Pause Cat Cafe, everyone there made me feel so welcome and made me look forward to helping out every week. Especially when I started with the cat care, I felt very happy and relaxed, with the cats being there to sit with and getting to know their different personalities.”
Do you think that helping others has helped you?
“Helping others helped me get out of the house, socialise with new people and find a space that I liked being in other than my own home. Since volunteering, I feel I have gained more confidence, for example going out of the house alone even just to the shops. It has helped me feel more confident in myself and what I can do as well.”
How have the skills you learned help you move forward?
“Well, since volunteering at the cafe, I have developed a love for specialty coffee and decided to go for a barista job, so without the volunteering I did, I wouldn’t have had the experience and so would probably be doing something completely different.”
I would definitely recommend volunteering to another young person.
Sam
Here at Fresh, we arrange volunteering placements for people of all ages, all abilities and all backgrounds – as long as the placement is by a young person, or benefits young people. We are inspired by the positive effect that volunteering can have for the community but also for the volunteers themselves. Sam’s story shows how giving your time to help others can really drive you forward in life.
Through our placements at Pause Cat Cafe we provide a safe and welcoming environment where you can express yourself, feel valued, develop your self-esteem and discover your ambition.
If you’re interested in finding out more about joining the kitty crew, meeting new people and supercharging your employability… drop us a line.
Read more about Fresh Charity’s training placements at Pause Cat Cafe…