March’s Volunteer of the Month is Graeme Stephen, I.T. Support Manager for TH Real Estate, nominated for his work with ELBA’s Community team.

Graeme has shown exceptional commitment in his IT audit and restructure with Ellingham Employment Services, a charity supporting adults with disabilities to fulfil their potential. Not only did Graeme undertake a full IT audit, but he committed to several other forms of support, asking the organisation to put together a “Top Five” wish list. Graeme has since donated boardroom tables and chairs and continues to work with them on their wish list. Not content with all of this work, he also hosted a career insight visit for Tower Hamlets College, designing the session himself and tailoring it to fit with what the class was studying. By all accounts, Graeme has truly gone above and beyond the call of duty.

Why did you volunteer?

I have worked in the City of London for 30 years and all the companies that I have worked for have actively encouraged volunteering. I have been involved with charity work nearly all my life and have experienced the benefits from both sides – as a volunteer and also a recipient of support. It may sound cliché, but London life is so fast-paced nowadays that you can forget there are plenty of people who are less fortunate, and it’s crucial to spend the time giving back.

Why do you think volunteering is important?

We all have different skills and outlooks – all of which can help charities in achieving their goals. Sometimes we need to put life into perspective and realise that, at some point, you may call on a charity for help yourself so it’s important to give something back when you can.

Running a charity is like running a business, so they often need help with these skills too. A good example is IT in the workplace. I am keen to help the organisations supported by ELBA save on IT costs, and also streamline their practices to allow them to concentrate on their main goals.

Would you recommend volunteering to a colleague and if so why?

It’s a must! If I had it my way, I would have a compulsory volunteering day for all employees to help with a charitable organisation, be it local to them or near to where they work. TH Real Estate is a great company to work for as they actively encourage the business to get more involved in charities and this is endorsed from the top down, including senior members of the business taking time out of their busy schedule to attend and get bossed around for once! We have a great take up globally with our volunteering programme – the great fun had by all and the associated word of mouth is the best promotion when looking for new recruits!

Volunteering days are a good way for members of the business to meet each other outside of the stresses of the working day. I have seen colleagues show a different side to their personalities outside of work and their peers see this, which is a way to generate positive team spirit in the day-to-day working environment.