Stepping up for Nature
Having completed a degree in Environmental Science over the summer, I was keen to get involved with an organisation that I share similar values with.
From a very young age I have always loved getting out into the countryside. One of my much-loved jaunts over recent years has been at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen. It’s amazing how, just outside the city, I have been able to see such a wide variety of wildlife. Living in Norfolk, I have been lucky with miles of coastline, woodlands, reserves and wild spaces to venture out into.
When I saw a volunteering opportunity advertised in August to work within the Communications team in Norwich, I leapt at the chance! As anyone knows, it is difficult to find work in the environment in the current economic climate, and this is why volunteering for the RSPB is so worthwhile - as I am convinced the experience I gain will prove invaluable in the future.
It has struck me how warm and welcoming everyone is within the organisation. My role has been really varied, from creating content for social media to collating and evaluating visitor data at reserves and provides me with a real insight into the workings of a conservation charity. I didn’t realise how many different strands to the RSPB there are, and how each one is so fundamental to meeting the Charity’s aims and overall success.
The RSPB certainly makes you feel, as a volunteer, extremely valued. I have had 1:1 meetings with staff working in different areas of the RSPB, which is an informative and helpful way to discover what goes on behind the scenes.
I feel proud to be a volunteer for the RSPB and love knowing that I am making a positive contribution to conserving nature.
Georgia Waye-Barker