The power of volunteering

If you've been following us for a while, you'll know that CREW Energy started out in a pub in Wandsworth in 2014. Just a bunch of south west Londoners with a pint and a dream!

Back then, we were a fully volunteer-led community benefit society called Community Renewable Energy Wandsworth. Ten years later, while much of our team is paid for their energy advice, consultancy, project management and more, we're still very much powered by a team of seven volunteer directors: Amy, Armelle, Leonie, Sobia, Steve, Toby and Yunus!

This International Volunteer Day, we caught up with Yunus to hear how he got into volunteering with CREW and the value it has brought him over the years.

Why did you start volunteering with CREW?

After graduating university, I was looking for a way to use my degree and skills to make a positive impact within my local community. CREW had opportunities for me to do this and I was also able to experience different ways to be able to help various groups of people. I also wanted to learn more about different skills I could gain and experience I could get

How has your role changed over time?

I have been volunteering with CREW since around March 2019 and I have been involved in a number of positions, from energy advice volunteer to energy efficiency surveyor. I have been involved in helping out in community events, workshops and even award ceremonies

What difference do you feel volunteering makes to our community?

For me, volunteering is a great way to help and communicate with people in your local community as well as spreading knowledge and creating relationships which are very important. Through volunteering, I feel more connected to my local community and also a valued member. I also believe volunteering is what makes our communities stronger, healthier and a better place for everyone.

What does volunteering mean to you personally?

I have learned a lot through different roles, as well as gaining important skills and experience. More recently, I had the opportunity to obtain a Domestic Energy Advisor training which has enabled me to increase my understanding of energy efficiency within homes and how we can assess and improve them. This was very eye opening and gave me the opportunity to apply my learning to help within the community further.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about volunteering but doesn't know where to start?

​My advice would be to go for it and try volunteering for something you are passionate about! Whatever it is you care about, doing more of it and volunteering to make a difference can help you and others as well. One of the best ways to start volunteering is within your local community and there is a lot of fun and helpful things to get involved in with out there!

We're always on the lookout for volunteers who can bring their skills to CREW and help us continue to grow and support our community.

If you're interested, fill out this form to get in touch and have a chat about how we can work together.