Jesal Chouhan is Syndicate Performance Manager at Lloyd’s of London. Jesal tells us about why he chooses to use his own experiences to help young people with their learning and development, and how rewarding this work is.  

Why do you volunteer?
I like to help pupils of all ages with their learning and development using my own experiences.  I have lived in East London for over 25 years, and this is also a great way to give something back to the community.  I also find that when I am volunteering, I have a clear headspace from all work and personal life – it’s a great way to place yourself in a completely different environment which is thoroughly enjoyable, so really everyone benefits.

What have you gained from your volunteering experience?
I have gained a level of balance within myself as mentioned above with my work-life balance. I have also been delighted to see how engaging, curious and interactive the children are, so you feel that your time is really appreciated and made the most of.   What I also found was that ELBA make the whole volunteering process seamless.  You receive clear overviews of what to expect and what we will be talking to the children about.  They really make it easy so that you simply have to turn up and help out with no pressure or expectations.

Would you recommend volunteering to a colleague and, if so, why?
I would highly recommend volunteering, whether it’s mentoring, reading partners or careers talks. The impact it can have on both the student and volunteer is great – it’s extremely fulfilling and rewarding when you see students developing under your guidance which you can be proud of.