volunteering in the outdoors, & for a long time

Anisha shares what she has gained from volunteering for a substantial period time i.e. not just your here-and-there-Saturday-role. 

After my return from the heat of Southern Spain, I began a two month volunteering programme. I had the fortune of being introduced to my current volunteering placement last year, when a friend invited me to deliver a poetry workshop. One thing led to another and before I knew it, I’d fallen in love with the place. Now, here I am writing my current Push blog on a campsite in the sunny English countryside. In this blog I’ll talk about what I have been up to and all the benefits the volunteering has opened me up to (aside from the occasional tent flooding, I can’t think of anything that I’d change). 

Green and Away has been running for 30 years, and is an environmental and educational charity. Last year’s experience consisted of three brief nights of poetry, bonfires and moonlight lake dips which only led to one decision: I had to come back the next year. Now, returning as a volunteer to stay for two months, has meant that I can oversee the whole range of demands that a site like this requires from setting up to the events it hosts, and everything behind the scenes (a lot of washing up). Having a placement which is a longer period of time, for me, has led to a greater appreciation of charities such as this one, and a deeper attachment to the people from all over the world that create a community, and ultimately, makes a place like this so special.

What I personally love about volunteering here is how varied the days can be. When we are hosting an event, which are usually interactive eco conferences, there are all sorts of tasks to do. Setting up the campsite, catering for over 100 people and creating a fire are just some of the long list of tasks. Whilst this seems insanely boring, it is the magical atmosphere of the place. The conversations with those around you are what makes it seem much more like fun, than a job. Being a space which is based outdoors, the open site, means you are able to weave in and out of different talks which are being hosted, and talk freely with guests. Recently, an environmental magazine came for a weekend retreat, which meant, as volunteers, we were able to join in on the evening dancing and live band, as well as attend the various workshops (which included painting with natural pigments and talks on radical love). 

My volunteering has had slightly more flexibility, which I hope to talk more about in a future blog. As the writer in residence on site, I am facilitating regular workshops for the volunteers, and on occasion, guests. 

Given the autonomy to develop my “Roots ” project (@roots.foe)  (which I started last year) meant that I got the time and space to develop my enthusiasm for some of my ideas on language, Indian philosophy and ecology. Establishing a project such as “Roots” has not only unleashed an excitement of creativity, but also opened up the areas of interest I want to develop in the future. Being given the opportunity to be truly immersed in a project I could come up with and deliver has given me a boost of confidence in my skill sets. Whilst I had found out about the volunteering opportunity through a friend, others had simply googled it or used a trusted website for international volunteers called ‘Worldpackers’. I’d encourage anybody to be curious, do their research and take a little risk. 

Committing to a period of volunteering definitely invites you to live a little differently. 

Read of the Month 

Any poems! 

Summer is obviously a great month to unwind, I’d recommend getting your hands on any type of poetry. There is often a fear of poetry being elitist or inaccessible, but there really is something for everyone. You can be blown away by the more well known names like Mary Oliver or Frank O’hara, or by trying something a little surprising in an anthology or two.

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Author

Anisha Minocha is studying English and Spanish at the University of St Andrews, currently living in Andalucía. She is a writer and poet whose work has been showcased in winning competitions, readings and anthologies. She co-edits SINK Magazine, which gives a platform to Northern creatives, and founded the "Roots"" project with Friends of the Earth that looks at the intersections between South Asian identity and ecology. Twitter: @anisha_jaya

Picture by: Mike Erskine​ on Unsplash