Volunteering is an excellent way to get engaged in your community; there is always a volunteer role for you, regardless of your interests or level of duty. Even while volunteering may often be quite time-consuming, it is well worth it when you feel as though you have had a positive impact on someone’s life, no matter how small or important. Moreover, it strengthens your connection with people and widens your presence in the community by introducing you to others with both fairly similar and contrasting interests.

In an interview with Sharinni Sahadevan, a qualified Cadet First Aider who volunteers with the senior Dartford St. John Ambulance Cadets discusses the value of volunteering and how it makes her feel a true sense of "camaraderie." According to her, volunteering is an important "life skill" where you can "gain experience" and build "great friendships" to serve your community but also develop many leadership qualities that will undoubtedly come in use when stepping up to higher levels. However volunteering is more than just a practical life skill; Sharinni has completed first aid training and may put this practical knowledge to action by being present at events to assist those in need because she has earned the title of Cadet First Aider at St. John Ambulance.

Although Sharinni had initially joined St. John Ambulance because she was interested in a "potential medical career", she realised that studying first aid would help her with the fundamentals of treating people, while also being a possible career path.

Sharinni Sahadevan, aged fourteen, stated that, “I enjoy going to Cadets a lot, because I’m interested in the topics we learn, am able to learn practical skills for my future and mostly, I can socialise and have fun with others”.

It is time for you to start volunteering now. You can potentially make a difference, whether it's as small as raising money or as major as carrying out procedures to save lives. Help your community by doing something you enjoy!