Kira Henry was a member of the fifth cohort of the Young People’s Sport Panel, one of sportscotland’s flagship leadership programmes for young people, but got involved in volunteering many years ago.
What was your experience of sport growing up?
I have a brother and a sister so when I was growing up, I tended to just copy what they were doing, trying to be better than they were. Then because of different PE teachers I had, I tried to get involved in absolutely anything I could whenever I had the time.
What is your volunteering experience to date?
I started volunteering at a multi activity holiday camp when I was 14/15 and never really looked back from there. I started going to charity events, joining groups within my local authority and doing a lot more in school. It got to a point there wasn’t a day after school that I wouldn’t be staying back to help someone with something, mostly in the PE department.
What/who inspired you to get into volunteering?
One of my PE teachers who’d never actually taught me got me the opportunity to help at a holiday camp over the Easter holidays that was usually only available to older pupils. She made a case for me to be able to do it anyway and only got positive feedback from it. After she done that for me, they couldn’t get rid of me and my volunteering has been non-stop ever since.
What do you enjoy most about volunteering?
I really enjoy experiencing new things and volunteering has opened me up to so many things I’ve never done before and wouldn’t have been able to do if it hadn’t been for volunteering. Mostly, I just love making a difference in someone else’s life so giving up my time to help others makes me feel like I’m doing that.
Have you had to overcome any challenges or barriers whilst volunteering?
I’ve been known to really struggle meeting new people and being anxious in situations I’ve not been in before but because everything is a new experience when volunteering I’ve gained the ability to do them despite being scared.
What advice would you give to others looking to get involved in volunteering?
Participating in different volunteering opportunities has by far been some of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve built long term relationships that I now couldn’t live without and gained so many more opportunities because of my previous commitments.
For anyone even remotely thinking about getting involved in volunteering I would just say that you won’t regret it and it’s such a good way to get ahead of the curve and gain experience you won’t get anywhere else.
