Penny Gee

University/ College:

 The Open University
What are you studying?

 Law (LLB).
Previously at Christ Church College at The University of Kent at Canterbury

I first started volunteering 31 years ago when I was a student at Alton Sixth Form College in Hampshire. In the past as a student I volunteered because I wanted to help people and it was rewarding to help others. My motivations as an adult for volunteering have related to causes close to my heart. I volunteered as a PR person for Girlguiding UK, and as a Rainbow pack unit helper as my daughters were involved with the Rainbows, Brownies and Guides.

My biggest volunteering role is for the National Autistic Society where I volunteer on the parent2parent helpline, listening to parents with children on the autistic spectrum and I also volunteer as a peer mentor to support other NAS volunteers. This cause means a great deal to me as I have a daughter who has Asperger's Syndrome. The service helped me in the past when my daughter was first diagnosed. It is extremely rewarding to give something back to other families and it means a great deal to them to talk to someone who can understand what they are going through.



Through all my years of volunteering I have gained confidence and communication skills – both listening and speaking; the knowledge that I can support others at emotional times; and I have made some good friends, including other volunteers and volunteer managers.

Volunteering has definitely boosted my employability. The PR volunteering has helped me in my work life as a journalist and campaign's manager. The communication skills that I have built up through my years as an NAS volunteer have been extremely important in my professional as well as personal life.

Helping others has been an important factor for me, supporting others through difficult times is very rewarding and realising that I can make a big difference both as an individual volunteer and as part of an incredible team of people representing the NAS. At times it has been challenging, especially in my helpline volunteering but the NAS has excellent training and support for its volunteers. My volunteer manager Nicole Rae is an absolute inspiration to me!  She is always on the end of the phone to offer support and advice.

Knowing that what you are doing means someone can have opportunities they may not otherwise have. I volunteered as a Rainbow pack unit helper in London when we lived there. Without leaders these groups wouldn't run and Girlguiding UK encourages people to come forward to volunteer as there are long waiting lists for these groups.

My message to other students is that during a major economic downturn it is crucial that students gain the skills that can give them a better chance of finding a job. Volunteering is a win-win situation. It provides an amazing opportunity to make a big difference to the lives of others and will make your CV stand out when an employer is searching for the right candidates.