Jamie Ryder: Work Experience Student

We were delighted to have Jamie Ryder from Terenure College on Work Experience with us this week. We asked Jamie to put together a blog for the website about Charity & Volunteering. Thanks Jamie!

When you think of Charity or Volunteering what comes to mind?
When I think of volunteering, I don’t envisage something as basic as a trip to Kenya; I picture a trip to unlock my true values, to complete my vocation and to contribute to an equal world as opposed to an unevenly distributed world where some people are subject to severe poverty and an unfair life.

Have you ever volunteered or thought about volunteering?
Recently, I volunteered for the Ronald McDonald Foundation in their annual selling of blue Santa hats at a Leinster game. This charity supports the visits from families who live far away from the hospital their child is attending and supplies all the necessary funds for the family to stay in a hotel and continuously visit their unfortunate child. I sincerely enjoyed my time volunteering and the indescribable feeling I received at helping these families made it all worthwhile. This experience has helped inspire me to a possible future career in the volunteering sector.

Do you know anyone who has ever volunteered?
I am familiar of the 6th year project in my school whereby annually, a carefully selected amount of volunteers raise a sufficient amount of money to afford a trip to Nepal to take part in housing projects. I have the utmost of respect for these dedicated volunteers and am eagerly awaiting my chance to partake in a charity project and donate my skills to improving the lives of many impoverished members of society.

What would encourage you to volunteer?
The final result of the hard work undertaken would be the most evident motivation to volunteer in my opinion. After witnessing the sincere happiness displayed on the faces of the volunteers observing the less fortunate members of South Africa receiving the key to their new home contributes to my desire to donate my attributes to the less fortunate members of society.

What would discourage you from Volunteering?
The high cost of sponsoring the trip would be a minor setback due to the current economic climate. However, the end result and sincere happiness I can already envisage that I would feel following the experience would prevail over this minor barrier to volunteering.

What did you know about the charity before?
One of my fondest memories in primary school was the day Niall Mellon, a celebrity in our vision, described the shocking extent of modern day poverty to my classmates and I. I can still remember my uttermost respect that I did and still behold for Niall and the pride I felt to be Irish that day. Although my education possessed on this respectable charity was minimal, it was among Trocaire and Bothar as the charities I respected most. My respect for Mr. Mellon prevailed when I was selecting a charity to look to for my placement.

What did you learn this week?
I learned numerous invaluable attributes that will help me in the future including the use of a scanner, how to photocopy and how a charity files their volunteer’s information. I have also learned about the harsh reality of modern day poverty and the help that Niall Mellon Township Trust provides to reduce these flabbergasting figures. I thoroughly enjoyed my work experience here and would not only strongly recommend it to people looking for a work experience placement but would also consider a career in this section.

Would you consider volunteering in the future or encouraging people to volunteer?
I can give my assurance that I will definitely volunteer in the foreseeable future – preferably for this well established and sincerely respectable charity. I look forward to being a volunteer with 10 stars on my badge and handing the keys to the family living in a house that I have helped construct.

THANK YOU MESSAGE TO JAMIE FROM NMTT

We were delighted to have Jamie on board with us for the week, he helped us with everything from application forms, filing, passports, scanning – the list goes on. Jamie was nothing but helpful, efficient and enthusiastic from the first day he arrived in the office. We have our fingers crossed that we will meet Jamie again someday – this time on one of our Building Blitz weeks in Africa!! And you’re welcome back to the office again anytime for a cup of tea and a chat!! Good Luck for the rest of fourth year Jamie, we hope you enjoyed your week with us as much as we appreciated having you here.
From all the Team at NMTT