Why I love volunteering at I Choose Freedom

Why I love Volunteering at I Choose Freedom

Hi, I’m Bisma and I am a volunteer at I Choose Freedom. I have been volunteering for over 2 months now and I can honestly say I have never been in a job which has felt more rewarding than this one. I am volunteering at the refuge before I go back to university to study a Masters in Law.

Every day at the refuge is different for me. One of my main jobs is to help in the playroom looking after the children whilst their mums are in meetings or counselling sessions. I have to be honest, I never thought I would love and enjoy working with children as much as I do now. There is something very rewarding about kids shouting your name as soon as they see you through a window. I also help run the I Choose Freedom Facebook and Twitter pages.

I help out the other staff at the refuge with small tasks such as setting up a room for the arrival of a new family and I sometimes accompany women to meetings with solicitors. 

I ran a programme funded by Family Action and Meals and More for the women and children during the summer holidays. You can find out more about the programme here. Knowing that by running a few different activities, organising trips for the women and children and cooking meals or helping the mums prepare meals for their children, made their summer holidays much more fun has been a highlight for me. I remember overhearing one of the women at the refuge say “This is the best meal I have had in weeks” (The meal was a jacket potato).

 I really didn’t know much about I Choose Freedom and the work they do for victims and survivors of Domestic Abuse. However, after working alongside them at a previous job role, I was thrilled when Charlotte offered me a volunteering role here at I Choose Freedom.   

Getting to know each of the women and children who live at this refuge has been so rewarding; I have such admiration for the courage they have to go through what they have been through and come out of the other end as such strong independent women.

Knowing I have made a small difference and helped out the women, children and staff at I Choose Freedom during the summer has really been rewarding.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the staff at I Choose Freedom for letting me volunteer here and for letting me experience the amazing work they all do. I am in admiration of all of the staff here at I Choose Freedom and what they do for the women and children following on from their own Domestic Violence experiences.

I hope to still continue on volunteering in a reduced capacity whilst I study my Masters.

Many volunteers at I Choose Freedom end up working there in a full time capacity so who knows where my I Choose Freedom volunteering will take me!

Bisma x

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