When the commonwealth games came to my city, I had to apply to volunteer. Sport and activity is my happy place. I have read that volunteering is good for the soul so combining the two was an opportunity that was just too good to miss.
I think I have mentioned before that ‘my’ sport is rhythmic gymnastics, it always has been and always will be. Rhythmic is where my heart is. I was pretty good in my teenage years, competing at quite a high level. Of course, I put this on my application and requested a position within my favourite sport.
After an interview and a few months waiting I was delighted to be offered the position of ‘Training Team Member’ for the rhythmic gymnastics. I very nearly didn’t accept because of my son’s illness but decided there would be a way to make it work and this wasn’t an opportunity I could miss.
I am not a complete stranger to volunteering, I am a run leader at running club which is all voluntary and I regularly volunteer at parkrun.
Two weeks ago, and for just over a week, I found myself in a very lovely building just outside the centre of Birmingham working with rhythmic gymnasts from all over the commonwealth – South Africa, New Zealand, Gibraltar, Scotland, Malaysia, India, Canada and Australia to name a few. I was there to support which could be things like playing the music, retrieving apparatus, calling medics if needed and just watching. I loved every second!
On my final day, I was on the competition floor at Arena Birmingham which was a dream come true. My job wasn’t a glamorous one but I got a carpet side view of the competition and a few trips onto the carpet to change the equipment and picked up the odd dropped hairpin or clump of sequins.
This experience was fantastic for myself, Birmingham and everybody I spoke to from volunteers to athletes to visitors to people who watched on TV. I also met up with a couple of my old coaches which was a lovely surprise.
I genuinely feel so lucky to have had this opportunity and have had a look at why volunteering can make a person feel so good.
Meeting new people with common interests will boost confidence and social skills. I also found wearing the volunteers uniform seemed to attract people to come and talk to me, always positive and many just to say thank you. This was everywhere from the train to walking around Birmingham on my way to the venues.
I have read that volunteering has positive effects for mental health. Stress is so often reduced by meaningful contact with other people. Building relationships with other people with shared interests can help to create support which can then work against depression and anxiety. Humans are wired to want to help others and volunteering can produce feel-good hormones which can help to aid happiness. You could possibly even help make a difference to the lives of other people.
Volunteering can also boost self confidence by giving a sense of pride and purpose. It can give a sense of direction for people who feel they have lost it. You could also learn new skills as many volunteering opportunities provide training and you can also improve things like public speaking if that is required in the role. Another potential benefit could be leaving your comfort zone and overcoming personal challenges.
Or, like me, you could just indulge in a passion and escape for a while from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. I have done a fair amount of googling and looking for more volunteering opportunities and there are loads out there working within sport, with adults and/or children, with animals or in places like museums and theatres. You could work from home alone or travel to somewhere, work behind the scenes or in view of the public. I have been looking at running and other sporting events and have found some which, for example, reward a day of marshalling with a free race entry. Bonus!