Aaron Wappler

What do you do as a volunteer? I currently hold the role of Assistant Regional Commissioner (Communications) for North East Scotland Scouts and hold a couple of trusteeships with other organisations outside of that. My main area of focus is strategically delivering our communications strategy and leasing with the local media to tell the fantastic stories of what goes on across our organisation, along with maintaining all social media, website, and email marketing systems. I also deputise as required for the Regional Commissioner and advise all levels of our stakeholders on how to get the most out of their communications. During my most recent campaign, I coordinated our #FillOurFoodbanks with over 900 young people and volunteers taking part (in line with the restrictions and guidance at the time) between the 1st - 24th of December 2020 to gather food donations for local foodbanks. We managed to record a whopping six thousand eight hundred and eighty kilograms (6.8 Tonnes) during the time, which were delivered to the foodbanks by our volunteers.

What inspired you to volunteer? To be honest, I got involved as an Explorer briefly and then after a couple of months was given the chance to volunteer as a local leader, so it was all by chance. After spending some time locally, I completed my Explorer Belt in Romania, a ten-day expedition across the country. Trying new foods, meeting locals, and hearing their inspirational stories and going on a once in a lifetime adventure across a country we’ve never been before, I knew during it I had to come back to Scotland and create opportunities for other people to go through similar experiences. I then gave my Regional Commissioner an email after initially turning down a regional opportunity and told him I would be delighted to come aboard; I’ve not looked back since!

What are the benefits to your community by volunteering? Each week over 400,000 young people and 100,000 adult volunteers take part in Scouting projects and activities and giving people new skills, which of course is now online. This includes opening 198 sections in the 30% most deprived areas in the UK during 2019/2020, reaching more than 3,500 young people who really benefit from the Scouts and getting the skills for life. Across the UK our volunteers and young people have spent 230,456 hours directly helping communities through a variety of projects which include some of the below.

In the first round of A Million Hands, over 250,000 young people signed up to take part in community impact projects during 2019/2020.

• Better mental health for all, with Mind, Inspire and SAMH
• Supporting refugees and displaced children, with Save the Children
• Understanding disability, with the National Autistic Society
• Protecting our environment, with WWF
• Ending homelessness, with Crisis
• Kindness in every community, with the British Red Cross

What do you gain from it? The positive impact on your wellbeing both mental and physical cannot be understated, especially when you are feeling the worst. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve went to an event or meeting with my voluntary organisation feeling like the world was beating to me, then walking out with a massive smile on your face. If you do struggle a little bit with your mental health, volunteering is a great way to build a network and make new connections and feel good about yourself through making a difference to loads of people. It also gives you plenty of skills to utilise and refine alongside relevant training which is normally paid for by your organisation. If cost is a barrier, get in touch with the organisation or local TSI if you can, a lot of volunteering organisations can help with that.

Why should other students try it too? Volunteering during your studies, however small, will have a massive impact both for you and gaining valuable transferable skills for employment. I would definitely not be progressing the way I am now without my current role. It gives me so many avenues like marketing, communications, or PR, which would not be opened to me if it wasn’t for my time spend volunteering. It really gives you the chance to try out the skills you learn during college and university, newfound confidence and really does wonders for your wellbeing, both physical and mental. I’d go check out the UHI’s website for more information for contacting your local TSI, it doesn’t have to be a big commitment but try out a few different organisations and roles and see what you like, do something you enjoy and it won’t feel like much work! Most of all making a difference to your community and doing projects that matter give your CV an invaluable boost and plenty of examples to really impress a potential employer with. It’s also given me the chance of international travel I went to Romania in 2019 and plan to attend the World Jamboree taking place in South Korea in 2023.

What impact has Covid-19 had on your role as a volunteer? COVID-19 has really impacted everyone and I am looking forward to playing a leading role in the recovery of this organisation, the pandemic has meant as a volunteer that I can’t pitch up locally to gather stories and do the role the justice it really deserves. It’s the interactions with people that really shape everything in communications and because the organisation is focused on giving people skills for life, people are a big part of what we are. All interaction across the board is now online and our volunteers have worked tirelessly to adapt to an online programme, which has been a lifeline for thousands of young people across the country that have really struggled during the pandemic. It is really humbling to play my small part in helping with that.

Final note: I would like to finish this by saying a massive thank you to all volunteers across the country for doing their part during this pandemic, they have played a vital role during the pandemic and we cannot forget their courageous service to others. The pandemic has really highlighted the power of volunteering from all organisations and groups across the country, as they have done and still are doing, an amazing amount of work to help others from delivering food parcels and medicines to providing vital emotional support.