As part of National Volunteering Week, St. Michael’s House is pleased to highlight another important aspect of volunteering through our WorkAbility Programme — supporting adults in our services to volunteer within their local communities while developing skills, confidence and experience for future employment opportunities.
Over the past eight weeks, Lily from Leinster Road has been volunteering with the Irish Cancer Society charity shop as part of her employment journey and to further explore her interest in working in the retail sector.
With support from the WorkAbility Team and her Key Worker, Lily identified volunteering within her community as an important personal goal and a valuable opportunity to gain practical workplace experience in a real retail environment.
During her volunteering placement, Lily has become a valued member of the charity shop team and has been involved in a range of duties including:
- Labelling clothes by size
- Hanging and organising stock
- Assisting with the general upkeep and presentation of the shop
Alongside developing practical retail skills, Lily has also had the opportunity to build relationships with fellow volunteers, increase her involvement within her local community, and contribute positively to the work of a charity organisation.
This experience has supported Lily to develop new skills, increase her confidence and independence, and gain greater insight into employment in the retail sector. Lily plans to continue volunteering as she progresses further along her employment journey.
The WorkAbility Team continues to support adults across St. Michael’s House to identify meaningful employment and volunteering goals through person-centred planning and community-based opportunities. For more information or to get involved contact a member of the team at supportedemployment@smh.ie or click here to find out more.
Well done to Lily on all of her hard work, commitment and achievements throughout her volunteering journey.