Volunteering– Kiendi Searle-Mbullu
I started volunteering with the Tennis Aces in 2018 as I started my Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award and needed to complete 6 months of volunteering to gain my award however I continued to volunteer as it gave me so much more than just my award.
The Tennis Aces is a non-profit, voluntary, organisation formed in 2015 that gives adults and children with additional support needs, a community and a group of friends to be part of and with on a weekly basis. The group plays a variety of sports such as basketball and netball however the focus is on inclusion and friendship through sport, not playing sport and consequently making friends.
This is what I’ve discovered through my time and this is why I’ve stayed on. There are few things that are as enjoyable as seeing people included and making friends is so special to me. To also see this through sport is amazing because I have been heavily involved in sport my whole life so to see people of different abilities enjoying it and finding it beneficial is very moving. This for me is what volunteering is all about- seeing the development, progression and joy people get with your aid.
