Volunteers

“Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” 
~Martin Luther King, Jr. 

When I am asked to elaborate on the origins of how the FAST Trust got started – I reflect that it certainly wasn’t just good ideas that grew legs and spontaneously leapt into action. The FAST trust was formed by a group of passionate tenacious people who volunteered their enthusiasm, talents, compassion and time whilst expecting nothing in return – that’s what got the FAST trust started and that altruism, purpose and belief made all the difference.  

This ethos of gathering philanthropic souls together and utilising their strengths has continued to play an important role in the everyday working of the trust. Right from the word go, volunteers have impacted the scale of our everyday sustainability. Given this foundational beginning we have continued to encourage and actively seek out volunteers. Without them it would be impossible to pursue the optimistic ideal of helping as many local children as humanely possibly.    

To our prospective volunteers we openly explain that volunteering isn’t just about giving up their time and upskilling. Volunteering for a cause that makes such an impact on individuals has a reciprocal consequence. I have heard our work described by one of our university student volunteers as ‘a balm for the soul’ of the volunteer.  

Volunteering with the FAST Trust is an incredibly rewarding experience that can be life-changing, sparking a chain reaction in the life of the volunteer that has to be experienced to be fully understood.  

Volunteering with children and young people is one of the most fulfilling contributions you can make. The volunteer has the opportunity and the privilege to not only learn skills but to positively scaffold a child’s journey, their achievements, attitudes and aspirations. When you look at the world as a place where you can make a positive impact in your own village the volunteer imparting their energy is gifted with a sense of purpose, empowerment and heartfelt joy.  

“I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy. I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy.” -Rabindranath Tagore  

“Volunteering is an act of heroism on a grand scale. And it matters profoundly. It does more than help people beat the odds; it changes the odds.” -Bill Clinton