Volunteers are a vital part of The Future Melting Pot. Whether they are students looking to gain experience to complement their degrees, graduates looking for work experience or people looking to move into a new sector of work, there are loads of opportunities for our volunteers to take on substantive roles within the organisation, whether they are interested in finance, research, marketing, administration or campaigning. We always work with the volunteer’s interests when assigning roles to make sure they get the most out of their time with us. Below you can read what some of our current volunteers have to say about their work with TFMP.

Charlotte, volunteering since June 2010

Why did you decide to volunteer with TFMP and what were you hoping to get out of it?

It sounded like a really interesting concept, I enjoy giving back to my community and this seemed like an exciting and innovative opportunity to do so. As a volunteer I hope to gain more experience within the business environment and to develop my creative, communication and teamwork skills.

What is your role within TFMP and what are some of your typical duties?

My role is very varied I essentially support the marketing team creating videos, posters and written products that promote TFMP. I am also being trained as a mentor for the Youth Rehearsal Programme.

What do you feel you have learned/gained from volunteering and how will it help you in the long term?

Even though I have only been volunteering at TFMP for a short while, I have already learnt lots about the infrastructure of social enterprises, my knowledge of business – particularly funding – has increased significantly. I have been given lots of opportunities to develop myself and to develop my communication skills within this sector. I am looking forward to learning more as each day on my internship goes by.

What advice, if any, do you have for prospective volunteers?

Just do it. There are bags of opportunities for you to get involved in all aspects of the running of TFMP. The team is great and everyone offers you loads of support and advice, particularly Estella who is probably the most supportive and encouraging boss I’ve ever worked with!!

Any other comments?

Get involved!!!

Leonela, volunteering since January 2010

Why did you decide to volunteer with TFMP and what were you hoping to get out of it?

I decided to volunteer because I was trying to gain work experience in Administration and to improve my office skills. Also I was enthusiastic about helping TFMP to accomplish their mission in the community.

What is your role within TFMP and what are some of your typical duties?

My role is as an Administration Assistant. Typical duties are arranging meetings (i.e. attendance to be confirmed), making sure team communication runs smoothly by checking Basecamp (milestones and messages), helping with WNF financial claims for our Youth Rehearsal Programme, updating the client tracking system and contacting programme beneficiaries.

What do you feel you have learned/gained from volunteering and how will it help you in the long term?

I have developed my communication skills, I have built up my confidence and I believe this will help me in future jobs.

What advice, if any, do you have for prospective volunteers?

My advice would be to try to get out of this volunteering experience the best that they can!

Rashioh, volunteering since June 2010

Why did you decide to volunteer with TFMP and what were you hoping to get out of it?

I decided to volunteer with TFMP because I wanted to get experience of work. I was looking specifically for job experience that is relevant for what I study at University (Politics and international relations).

What is your role within TFMP and what are some of your typical duties?

My typical duties include working on a research project about young people and entrepreneurship; this involves identifying the barriers that stop young people from starting their own business.

What do you feel you have learned/gained from volunteering and how will it help you in the long term?

I have learnt how to work in a team, do research, and how to start a business.

What advice, if any, do you have for prospective volunteers?

I would definitely advise anyone looking for volunteering experience to join TFMP because it is flexible and provides valuable experience.

Any other comments?

Good luck!

Aneela, volunteering since June 2010

Why did you decide to volunteer with TFMP and what were you hoping to get out of it?

I found TFMP is fairly young company with strong ambitions and that they work their level best for success and rapid growth. I have always wanted to help make the world a better place for those who find it hard to achieve what they want to because of missed or lack of opportunities in their lives. TFMP provided me with the platform to interact and network with those individuals, boosting my confidence to achieve results in real world situations.

What is your role within TFMP and what are some of your typical duties?

I have joined TFMP as an Assistant Programme Leader. I have been responsible for monitoring the progress of the Pilot Project, the Youth Rehearsal Programme. I have also been involved in funding applications, raising finances for the pilot project. I have prepared the draft for the Pilot Project’s Costs together with a Summary of Cashflow Projections incorporating the Risk Analysis over the life of the project. I have drawn flow charts to interpret TFMP’s infrastructure and capture the valuable information at a glance. I have also given some suggestions towards developing a written Induction Programme for prospective volunteers to help them understand TFMP services better.

What do you feel you have learned/gained from volunteering and how will it help you in the long term?

The experience has taught me a lot in a short period of time. I have handled projects in my previous employment but working in third sector finances was a totally different and very worthwhile experience for me. In particular, management training sessions with Dave Lane from I-SE has added prominent value to my technical ability in analysing and making financial decisions for such projects. In the long run it has surely opened another door to strive for a career in third sector finance.

What advice, if any, do you have for prospective volunteers?

I would say join TFMP. It will provide you with a wide range of opportunities to experience real life situations and projects. It will widen your knowledge, providing educational and technical training sessions with highly experienced consultants. Your time invested with TFMP will not only look good on your CV but will also remarkably boost your self-development.

Any other comments?

I have been with TFMP just over four weeks. I have gained valuable knowledge and experience and am now working with Coventry Electrical Wholesalers as a Trainee Finance Manageress.

Jenni, volunteering since January 2010

Why did you decide to volunteer with TFMP and what were you hoping to get out of it?

I decided to volunteer initially because I was looking to get some work experience while searching for a full-time job, and TFMP seemed like a good place to be involved in a variety of projects as well as taking the lead on things, so I thought it would be a worthwhile experience.

What is your role within TFMP and what are some of your typical duties?

I have various roles! I work on TFMP’s media, which includes updating the website and managing our Facebook and Twitter accounts. I also work on funding applications, the Youth Rehearsal Programme, business planning and am currently working on a research project, investigating ways the third sector can support young people into enterprise.

What do you feel you have learned/gained from volunteering and how will it help you in the long term?

Through volunteering, I have gained the practical experience I lacked when I graduated university in 2009. I’ve had the opportunity to take the lead on projects and get involved with all aspects of the business, which has massively helped with my skills development and general business knowledge. I think this will help me in the long term as I’ve taken on a wide variety of roles and so have learned how to multi-task and adopt a flexible approach to working, as well as having gained a good overview of a number of different departments.

What advice, if any, do you have for prospective volunteers?

I’d tell prospective volunteers to get in touch with TFMP. It’s a great place to volunteer, everyone is lovely and, as the organisation is still quite young, working here gives you the chance to get involved with business development and help shape the business for the future. Volunteers work on what interests them, so it’s a great way of gaining experience in areas of interest to you.