Volunteer Stories - Rosie

Volunteers' Week 2026

Hi, my name is Rosie. I am in S4 and I volunteer as a Sports Leader at Nairn Academy. I am also one of the Young Ambassadors for Sport.

I was given the opportunity to start volunteering right before I moved into S1. It felt right because lots of my family have been part of the programme, so it was something I already knew a bit about before getting involved myself.

One of the big things I have enjoyed about volunteering, which everyone says, is getting to meet lots of people I wouldn’t have met otherwise. Through local volunteering events, I now know people from Culloden, IRA and Millburn, which I probably wouldn’t have if I hadn’t joined the programme.

The biggest thing I’ve gained from being a Sports Leader is confidence. Back in P7 and S1 I was pretty shy and kept to my close circle of friends, but since attending events and meeting all kinds of people, I’ve grown a lot and believe in myself more. I now don’t hesitate to put myself forward to speak in class or in front of my peers. I’ve also gained experience working with primary school aged children and listening to them when they need it.

There have been a lot of moments that stand out to me since starting my leadership journey, so I don’t think I could choose just one. One of the more recent ones has been the “Bee the Change” intergenerational choir, which involves Auldern Nursery and St Olaf’s Nursing Home coming together with some of our musically talented young leaders, along with Kenna and Morna Ross who are the musical directors. We learn and sing songs together and it really shows that no matter how old you are, music can bring everyone together.

If you are considering volunteering and thinking about joining the Leadership Programme, I would say just go for it. There’s nothing to lose if you decide it’s not your thing, but there is a lot to gain by sticking around. Every time you volunteer, the hours you complete go towards gaining a coloured hoodie — 25 hours for navy, another 25 for purple, 200 for silver, 500 for gold, 750 for platinum and over 1000 hours for diamond. At the end of the day, it’s all about the hoodie."