Volunteers’ Week takes place this week (1st-7th June 2021). Millions of people across the UK take time to volunteer for local causes, and it is so important to recognise their invaluable contribution to ACE IT Scotland. We couldn’t do what we do without our team of volunteers, so we’ve highlighted some of their stories in two blog posts this week! Today we’re sharing the stories of Kay and Colin, plus a thank-you message from Manager Iain Couper. You can read the first blog post here.
Kay Wright – IT coaching helpline volunteer and Work Wise Women coach
After moving to Edinburgh in her retirement, Kay was looking for flexible IT volunteering after a career as a computer trainer with Shell. She started volunteering with ACE IT in November 2013, and enjoys both the teaching aspect and interaction with older people. Her favourite experience as a volunteer was during lockdown last year: “I was asked to help a gentleman who couldn’t get FaceTime on his iPhone and he and his grandsons wanted to see each other. It was a simple solution, but I could tell it made the world of difference to our learner.”
Colin Moss – IT coaching helpline volunteer and workshop presenter
Now retired, Colin used to work providing strategic IT advice to organisations across Europe. He has been volunteering all his life, with Scouts and church, and now likes to help people use IT to best advantage. After starting with ACE IT in 2016, he says his favourite thing about volunteering with ACE IT is “seeing the ‘lightbulb’ moment with a learner as they suddenly realise how something work”. He enjoys working with the staff and volunteers as well as the learners, and finds it rewarding when he can help someone solve a problem with IT.
Iain Couper – Manager’s Note
I want to say a huge thank you to each of our incredible volunteers. Faced with a year of lockdowns and uncertainty, our amazing team were able to pull together to help ensure that we helped as many older people as possible to get online and connected. During a time when being online meant the difference between seeing loved ones or feeling alone, our volunteers stepped up and helped hundreds of learners to access everything from GP appointments to yoga classes. Volunteers helped raise awareness of scams to help protect those most vulnerable. They also helped upskill those looking to improve their employment opportunities by gaining new IT skills.
Our volunteers have quite simply changed people’s lives. So, thank you to each of them, we couldn’t do any of this without your selflessness and compassion.
