Will Tregaskes

Why do you volunteer?

Today I volunteer to be part of discussions which seek to shape the sector and change it for the better. I started volunteering in this way with Front of House in Museums and have had the opportunity to advocate and work towards change, for example by creating the Front-of-House Charter for Change with the Museums Association.

What are the benefits of volunteering for you?

Volunteering has meant I have met many people I would perhaps never have come across – from meeting front-of-house colleagues while researching their experiences in the sector, to volunteering with the Heritage Volunteering Group through the Covid-19 pandemic.

These connections have shaped myself and my values, helped me to witness the challenges and opportunities the sector faces, and inspired me to continue contributing to the sector and see a vision of what it could become.

What has made it possible for you?

Volunteering is a privilege that not all can afford to do. At the start of my career I volunteered to learn and develop new skills. I remember my attempts to balance working to afford rent with feeling the need to continue to develop new skills and experiences to reach what many jobs expect as a basic level for employability.

It meant volunteering on my days off and taking a stricter approach to it, seeking to volunteer only where it would fit with my working patterns. Frequently I would not have the time to volunteer due to the need to prioritise paid work.

Volunteering today is made possible by the organisations I work for and with. Flexibility has been key, for example by arranging for meetings to take place outside working hours. This is something all work centring on sector development should do. If not, you will exclude some of the most valuable insights in the sector and those lost voices will be detrimental to any work produced.

What would you say to someone who is thinking of volunteering over and above a paid role?

It is not a question that I have ever personally entertained simply because of my circumstances. If someone were to ask me this question, I think it would be a nuanced conversation. People volunteer for myriad reasons and before saying anything I would want to know why they want to volunteer and what it could bring them.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Volunteering has been a consistent part of my life and it will always play a part in it. The shape and form it takes will change, I’m sure, as it has many times before. In many ways this is a reflection of the complexity of the voluntary sector itself, constantly changing and responding to changes in society.

Throughout my career I have worked with people who have volunteered for a whole host of different reasons; from people like myself seeking career development opportunities, to those who volunteer to give back to society, to socialise, to follow a passion and, increasingly, volunteering for health and wellness.

Volunteering may be on the cusp of significant changes again. For example, in Wales, Welsh Government is actively working to create a new national framework for social prescribing. This has the potential to be a paradigm shift for the sector and the volunteering landscape in coming years – museums will have a big role to play and should be appropriately resourced.

Will is arts development manager at Arts & Business Cymru