Volunteers’ Week: Meet Joel

Occupation: Banking | Volunteering Role: Workshop Assistant and Events

Why did you choose to Volunteer with BCA?

The Black Cultural Archives is a brilliant and important institution, which has done extremely well to stay true to its founding mission, which is to document the history of Black British people. It has truly been an honour and a pleasure to volunteer for the BCA, as I have been able to make my own small contribution to this great organisation while meeting an array of passionate and energetic people from all walks of life.

What have you learnt from volunteering?

I’ve learned that volunteering isn’t just about helping others, which is a noble endeavour in and of itself – but that volunteering can be a great opportunity for self-development and building one’s own confidence.

What advice would you give to anyone interested in volunteering?

Volunteering can be a brilliant endeavour as it offers the chance to give something back to the community. Additionally, it provides an opportunity to develop new skills, meet great people, as well as the chance to build on existing experience and knowledge.

Has volunteering made a difference to your life? If so, how?

Volunteering has added a new and exciting dimension to my life. It has given me new purpose, new direction, new friends and a new method of self-development. Moreover, knowing that I am contributing to something greater than myself and positively impacting upon the lives of others, is incredibly satisfying.

We would like to say a massive thank you to Joel and all our volunteers for all their hard work at BCA.

Would you be interested in becoming a BCA volunteer? You can register your interest via our Volunteer page.