International Volunteer Day

International Volunteer Day is celebrated on 5 December every year. It started as an international observance mandated by the United Nations General Assembly in 1985. It's a day where volunteers are acknowledged, and the spirit of volunteerism is promoted at the local, national and international levels. Therefore, we wanted to use this opportunity to thank our own amazing volunteers.

Citizen Advice volunteers come from a range of backgrounds and volunteer with us for different reasons. Our roles are varied, challenging, and rewarding and our volunteers really enjoy being able to make a valuable contribution and a positive impact on people's lives. We thought it would be interesting to share the thoughts of two of our team.

Afroza: "My involvement with Citizens Advice Portsmouth commenced on 14 February 2023. When I applied for the volunteer position, my primary intention was to contribute to society while actively supporting the local community. Yet, starting my volunteer role also brought a positive change to my world.

Citizens Advice Portsmouth demonstrates a commitment to treating volunteers with parity to their paid staff. I enjoy equal rights to access resources and facilities as a valued team member. The comprehensive training I received honed my skills and instilled the confidence necessary to progress in my role. Ongoing support and guidance from both team members and the manager are consistently available for any assigned task.

The organisation actively promotes a diverse workforce and cultivates a rich office culture that accommodates the needs of individuals from various nationalities. A steadfast commitment to non-discrimination based on norms and values fosters mutual respect among team members.

The organisation, to me, is a vast ocean of knowledge, and I recognise the need to acquire extensive learning to navigate it successfully. Truly, in today's context, the phrase "Education from the cradle to the grave" resonates profoundly with me. I aspire to grow with Citizens Advice Portsmouth and extend my best wishes for its continued success."

Hajara: "In June 2023, I made the difficult decision of moving to the UK to pursue my PhD after over a decade working with vulnerable groups and a couple of years in academia back in my home country. I was here alone away from my husband, family, and friends and by the next month, I was already feeling terribly sick from the drastic change and was considering abandoning my studies and going back home.

Citizens Advice Portsmouth caught my attention on one of my runs to campus and, after making some enquiries, I realized its tenet aligns with my ethos.

I consider it a great honor given the opportunity to be part of a team offering real life solutions and guidance to people who direly need help, whilst I get the privilege to learn and try to be the best person I can be.

"A person is a person through other people" is an African proverb emphasizing the importance of community, compassion, and shared humanity – my few months experience at CAP has really proven to me that kindness is indeed a universal language."