Why Volunteer? Hear from HIT Volunteer Tilly for Volunteers’ Week

It’s Volunteers’ Week!

Herts Inclusive Theatre is made up of a wonderful community of participants, parents, carers, staff and volunteers. This week, we get to celebrate our volunteers.

Volunteers give their time for free to help keep Herts Inclusive Theatre running. Their contributions take many forms – volunteering in our groups, with our marketing, or on our trustee board.

 

Why Volunteer?

 

Volunteering has many benefits, both for charities and the volunteers themselves.

For Herts Inclusive Theatre, volunteers provide essential support, helping to extend the reach and impact of our sessions and projects. Many of our groups simply wouldn’t be able to run if we didn’t have a brilliant team of volunteers who were happy to lend their help. They bring diverse skills, energy, and perspectives that can alter the way sessions are run for the better.

For volunteers, giving their time can bring skill development, a sense of purpose, and personal growth. At Herts Inclusive Theatre, we provide you with training opportunities, experience within theatre, and access to a fantastic community of fellow volunteers, staff, participants, their parents and carers. One of the greatest benefits of volunteering that Herts Inclusive Theatre can boast is bringing new levels of fun to your life!

 

Introducing Tilly

 

 

This Volunteers’ Week, we spoke to Herts Inclusive Theatre volunteer Tilly to hear more about what a volunteer does.

Tilly has been a volunteer with our charity since last May when she left her college course. She is a dedicated member of the team and has helped run weekly sessions and put on several shows with participants.

Why did you start volunteering?

I left my college course and had a lot of spare time, so after speaking with my mum I decided volunteering would be good for my confidence.

What do you like about volunteering?

I like helping the children and I really like helping out at the holiday camps that are on in the school holidays.

What’s it like to volunteer with Herts Inclusive Theatre?

HIT is a fun place to volunteer as we always do fun things.

Do you have a favourite memory from your time volunteering with Herts Inclusive Theatre?

My favourite memory is helping out at the holiday camps that are run in the school holidays.

 

The Impact Volunteers Have

 

Tilly’s work with Herts Inclusive Theatre hasn’t just been fun for her – the participants and staff she works alongside know the enormous impact she makes in sessions.

Herts Inclusive Theatre team member Tanya, had this to say of the impact Tilly has in their weekly sessions:

Tilly has become a real asset to our team over the past year (plus). She throws herself into any given task with enthusiasm, no matter how big or small, and can always be relied upon whether understudying for an absent child, encouraging others to join in with energy, or helping with visual resources, costumes and props. She is a brilliant role-model; our participants really look up to her and I feel extremely fortunate to have her on my team!

Tilly and all the other volunteers at Herts Inclusive Theatre make a massive difference to the overall running of the charity. This was made most obvious when Herts Inclusive Theatre was awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2023.

 

 

The King’s Award is all about celebrating volunteers. Only five charities were chosen across Hertfordshire, and we feel very proud that our we were chosen. This was solely awarded to us because of the amazing work of our volunteers, who we – and all our participants – are incredibly grateful for.

 

How to Get Involved this Volunteers’ Week

 

Herts Inclusive Theatre is always looking for new volunteers. Volunteering can bring you a sense of purpose, fun, and introduce you to a whole new community of people.

If you think you would be a good fit for a charity who prize inclusion, empathy, and joy, send an email to admin@hit-theatre.org.uk expressing your interest. We’ll then send you an application form.

You don’t need to be an actor or an expert on inclusion to get involved – we will give you all the training you need. All you need to be is friendly, enthusiastic, and happy to get stuck in.

We hope to hear from you soon!