As well as providing affordable and environmentally-friendly wood collections and timber sales, our social enterprise Move On Wood Recycling offers training, work experience and volunteering opportunities for local people. One of our regular volunteers is Josh, who has been volunteering with us for almost five months.
Josh was put in touch with us by Clayton Care, who provide support for young people and adults with learning or physical disabilities and those with mental health concerns. Josh now volunteers in our workshop twice a week, along with his support worker, Donny.
With no previous experience of wood work, Josh has quickly taken to the role and “loves that it’s proper hands on”. He particularly enjoys going out in the van to help with wood collections and chatting with customers. Josh has also had the opportunity to learn new skills in our wood workshop, where he helps denail the timber and prepares it to be sold.
Although Josh has done volunteering placements in the past, Donny says the consistent and long-term opportunity to volunteer with Move On Wood Recycling is completely different, and has given Josh a new focus and drive. He says “We don’t say ‘volunteering’ – we say he’s got to get up to go to his work”.
Volunteering twice a week and never late, Josh has become a reliable member of the team. As well as gaining work experience and skills, he says he enjoys working with the other volunteers and staff, who are “a good team of guys”.
If you’re interested in volunteering with Move On Wood Recycling, please get in touch with James on 0131 551 6937 or james@moveon.org.uk