Pauline, 23, got involved with Positive Futures London after returning to the UK from France, and took part in PFL’s youth social action podcast project called ‘Youth Cast’, where young people pick a topic and share their views.
‘I’m from France originally, but I’m now based in London. I heard about Volunteering Matters online – I was looking for volunteering projects, I’d never done any volunteering before but wanted to start, and the first thing I found was Positive Futures London.
I thought it’d be exciting to pop in and say hi. I met the staff and they were great! This is the first podcast I’ve ever been a part of, and we chatted about job hunting, the job market, and education – specifically whether education helps you get into professional life. It was relevant for me because I’ve just found a job, in France I did a masters in teaching so I’m familiar with how difficult it currently can be to find work.
It’s important to hear from young people on subjects like this so others can know and relate to other people who are all struggling. We may have different backgrounds, but are all encountering similar difficulties, and I want to share this because some of the problems I’ve faced will be relatable to others. It’s a daunting experience going into a profession.
Taking part in recording Youth Cast encouraged me to speak out and become more involved, when I didn’t really think of it before, as I’m a bit new to volunteering. It’s made me realise the impact of volunteering on the community, in this case young people. Youth social action means that young people can be brought together on a universal subject so they can express opinions but also work on solutions.
After this I’ll continue to get involved in volunteering, because I think there is so much that can be done, and being part of a community and finding something where you can reconnect is really important.’