Are you considering volunteering with a Menter Iaith in your area? This is Elena’s experience who volunteers with Menter Iaith Sir Ddinbych.
Name: Elena Brown
Age: 19
From where? Denbigh
Why did you volunteer with Menter Iaith?
I wanted to develop my skills further and have a taste of working in different fields and on a variety of projects. The Menter’s working with people throughout the county and provides skills and contacts as you develop as an individual with responsibilities. I wanted to have an insight into the work that goes into the activities they organise.
What have you learned from the experience?
I think volunteering has been of great benefit to me. The experience has built my dedication, passion and commitment to the language and the work has given me the appropriate initial skills I need when entering the world of work. I have grown in confidence when working independently on promoting, organising and writing to the press. The experience gave me an idea of what my strengths are and what I need more experience in, which is important for people to be aware of. The Menter allowed me to explore the way I work best and share it with others.
Has the experience been valuable to you?
Many people question the point of volunteering as you work for free, but I would not have had the experiences I’ve had without working with the Menter and meeting all the people over the period with them. The experiences have been endless since the beginning, over a wide area that covered work with all ages. It was a great experience to be part of the Menter’s work, as it emphasises the fun in speaking Welsh professionally and socially.
