Rebecca Mann Promoted to Head of Projects

“It is simply not true to say that people don’t want to volunteer”

By Rebecca Mann, Head of Projects at We Make Change

We are a team of volunteers from across the world who enable individuals to use their skills to support the causes that they care about. Having volunteered with us for 5 months as a Project Coordinator, Rebecca has helped connect dozens of Social Enterprises with skilled volunteers. Following her hard work and dedication to fulfilling the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Rebecca has been promoted to Head of Projects at We Make Change. We spoke to Rebecca about her volunteering journey, discussing why she got involved, advice for those looking to volunteer, and her hopes for the future.

Tell us about yourself

My name is Rebecca and I am Head of Projects at We Make Change, following my recent promotion. I am currently living in London, and I graduated with a Master’s degree last year in Environmental Politics where I focused my research on the intersections between gender and climate change in the UK media. Outside of my work at We Make Change, I work for a sustainability start-up called How to Change the World. As you can probably tell from the names of these two organisations, I am deeply committed to ensuring my time is spent making a positive social impact in the world!

When did you first get involved with We Make Change?

I first heard about We Make Change in the summer of 2020 when I was working for an organisation that had just put up a project on We Make Change to recruit volunteers to help out with a virtual conference.

We were all blown away by the number of responses we got from ChangeMakers, and also by the enthusiasm and energy the ChangeMakers we ended up recruiting brought to the table. We could not have pulled off what we did without them. Shortly after the conference wrapped up, I signed up to become a ChangeMaker myself and was excited to be able to use my skills to make a difference. Fast forward a few months, I had just settled into a new job, I had some more spare time, and I got a notification from We Make Change that they are recruiting for a Project Coordinator which suited my skills and ambitions perfectly. I jumped at the opportunity to apply, and I started work for the fantastic We Make Change team!

Why did you get involved?

I had always wanted to volunteer although the timing was never quite right for me to be able to apply for any of the amazing opportunities. What I loved most about We Make Change and what it stands for is that it offers as much value for the volunteer as it does for the social impact organisations that are recruiting the volunteers. The projects promoted by We Make Change are seeking volunteers for meaningful, skilled work and this is such a rarity with volunteering. It was refreshing to see an organisation understand how beneficial volunteers can truly be and to offer an opportunity to make an impact whilst also developing your skills and capacity.

Furthermore, the ability to be part of the Members Team at We Make Change meant that day in and day out I would get to learn about and converse with social impact organisations from across the world. It sounded like a unique opportunity that was going to be a whole lot of fun (and I was proven right!). I thoroughly enjoy working with Social Enterprises that are on their journey to make a positive impact in the world - it is always a highlight of my day!

What impact do you hope We Make Change can make?

From my own experience, and from talking to the ChangeMakers we recruited initially, it is simply not true to say that people don’t want to volunteer, or that they don’t put in a lot of effort when they do. However, what is difficult is convincing people that they have the skills and talents to make a positive social impact. Realistically any skill can be utilised for this purpose and that is so clearly shown in the broad range of skills highlighted in the We Make Change projects. I hope that as We Make Change continues to grow, more people are empowered to know that whatever they can bring to the table is incredibly valuable in the quest to change the world!

What has been your favourite part of volunteering?

What has been particularly fun about my volunteering experience at We Make Change has been able to work as part of a team. Due to the pandemic, many of us have had to work from home which has been a relatively isolating experience, requiring yourself to be self-motivated. However, volunteering in a team and individuals from across the world has allowed me to celebrate my achievements, collaborate, and socialise all whilst volunteering and making a difference.

What advice would you give to aspiring ChangeMakers?

My advice for aspiring ChangeMakers would be to stop viewing volunteering as a sacrifice of your time, and instead start viewing it as an opportunity to utilise your skills. Whilst volunteering can sometimes require a lot of brain power and energy, this is 100% counteracted by the incredible experiences and interactions you take away from the role. Volunteering is a joyous experience, which builds your capacity as well as your character. Changing your mindset and approach to volunteering will allow you to thrive and create a positive social impact.

GET INVOLVED

If you would like to use your skills to volunteer, you can join a project here.
If you are running or starting up a Social Enterprise or Non-governmental organization dedicated to making a change, you can find the skilled volunteers you need to grow your impact for free here.
Contact us to find out how your employees can make a difference and create a lasting change in your organisation here.

The power to change the world is in your hands 🙌