Jess has more than one role within Yellow Door. She is a STAR Outreach Worker, an Assessment Practitioner, and working with CAMHS as a Liaison Officer for Yellow Door. Jess originally started with us on a Volunteer Social Work Placement. We spoke to her to understand more of her volunteering experience and what led to her continuing career journey with us.
“I started my voluntary placement in September 2022 on a social work degree and I took on a paid position in June 2023.
When I was first placed into Yellow Door, I thought it was just a Therapeutic Service. But I now know that it is much more than that. When volunteering, I worked in the Diversity, Inclusion and Advocacy (DIA) team as well as being an Assessment Practitioner, and working with the team who manages referrals. I went on to support the Domestic Abuse Team as a group co-facilitator for the Pattern Changing group. The culture of Yellow Door was very welcoming, friendly and inclusive and I felt very looked after. Working as a team is really vital to the service. Being within the voluntary sector is very rewarding, and I felt supported in all aspects of my role.
One of the more important skills I developed through volunteering was a holistic approach around the clients. And I learnt to have more of a focus around nurture and education. At university, it is quite an independent working course, but working at Yellow Door has shown me the importance of team work and that each person brings their own expertise. As well as this, I have gained a lot of knowledge around safeguarding, and a better understanding of what amazing services there are in the local community.
My main takeaway from volunteering is that regardless of your background, it is that what each person brings to the table is appreciated, valued and respected. This was really important to me as I am the youngest employee at Yellow Door so I was worried others would think I am too young and inexperienced, but that wasn’t the case at all! I found that your wealth of knowledge is always respected, and knowing I could bring something to the team brought me back to Yellow Door once my placement ended.
Every manager, even those who weren’t my managers, were still focused on me developing professionally which was vital to me coming back as I felt like other people were rooting for me too.
A memory I will always look back on was another manager who championed me to get training which enabled me to improve my skills whilst I was on my placement. This completely changed my experience and made me feel a part of the Yellow Door team.
As there are so many teams here at Yellow Door! You can gain experience in something that isn’t your role and test something you are interested in going forward, which is so important for professional and personal development.
I would recommend volunteering at Yellow Door 100%, regardless of any course where your job is to care or look after somebody, this is such a good placement to learn and see how this is done in a charity sector and see the good it can do for a community.”
“It is so eye-opening and fantastic to see the work a local charity can do!”