Through volunteering i have been able to gain valuable new skills and experiences. It has also allowed me to boost my confidence. Through it, i have been able to step out of my comfort and deal with actual problems whilst in a work environment.

Volunteering has allowed me to work with companies such as Yorkshire Dance. I found volunteering for FRESH 2017 to be beneficial, as i was able to meet other like-minded individuals and create contacts. It was also interesting to see Yorkshire Dance from a different perspective. I was able to gain first-hand experience working with Yorkshire Dance, rather than just taking a class there. Through it i met some other people who offered their advice and other opportunities.   

Volunteering for Crossing Borders (Youth Platform before FRESH) in 2017/2019 enabled me to work closely with the event organisers and offer my help. Through it I had the opportunity to take part in the workshops that were available for the students, as well as make connections with other schools and institutions. I think that it is valuable to make as many connections as possible, as they could someday be useful. Through volunteering at these events also allowed me to see a lot of youth dance for free. As i am potentially thinking about someday creating my own Youth Dance Company, it has been inspirational seeing how other companies/groups create work and explore concepts. 

Most of my volunteering has happened during my time working at Horizon Community College. Although I have been working in a paid role this academic year, 2013-2015 and 2017-2018 i offered my time volunteering and taught classes for the purpose of gaining experience. Through this time i assisted on school trips, including a weekend residential in Swanage for the annual Folk Festival. As through school i was always giving my time and effort into dance and sport, Horizon offered the opportunity for myself and some of my peers to take part in a gymnastics judging course. Through having this qualification, through my final years i was asked to judge local school competitions that Team Activ organised through the year. As an adolescent, it was a great experience to be able to take what i had learnt in the course and apply it to a real life scenario.  Whilst attending Horizon Community College, i was also an assistant coach in Cheerleading. Having experienced this through school, it enabled me to figure out that I very much enjoy Cheerleading as well as Dance, which has encouraged me to recently attend a course and become a qualified Level One Coach in Cheerleading.  

*I have permission to use photographs of past and present students of Horizon Community College from Horizon Community College*