Last week was #StudentVolunteeringWeek and we were lucky to welcome the lovely, talented Holly from Rushcliffe Sixth Form to Works Social to experience first hand the varied life of a startup! Holly got stuck into lots of things and as her passion is writing, we asked Holly to write us a blog post about what she learnt....

"Being my first ever full week of work experience, I think it’s safe to say I’ve gathered so much knowledge and understanding of life within the working world, helping me gain a solid recognition of ideas for my future, but also the enjoyment of socialising and exploring a freelancer’s day-to-day life was rewarding.

When I started earlier this week, I wasn’t sure what to expect, however being familiar with the facilities and the friendly people around I didn’t feel especially nervous or stressed. I started off learning about how Works Social works and what the different businesses and freelancers do.

I helped to make the building more eco-friendly and sustainable, helping to produce a worm composting farm and finding ethical alternatives for the products used around the building. I also assisted in planning their Sports Relief week to raise money for the charity, along with setting up and gathering resources for a pop-up cinema night and a community breakfast on Valentine's Day.

I had the opportunity to meet with Works Social member Big Old House who specialises in advertising and PR, which I found especially interesting as I plan to have a career in writing when I’m older, so the advice and tips she gave me were invaluable - it was amazing to hear from someone who has experience and knows how employers work. She gave me contacts to get in touch with for experience with PR writing and also gave me a great starting point.

I love to write - blog posts, articles and write-ups for other people (strangely?) excite me, and luckily Works Social offered me so many opportunities to do so. From writing for their Members’ Newsletter to working on an awards application, I’ve really enjoyed all the tasks I’ve been given.

I'd like to say a huge thank you to Works Social for warmly welcoming me into their cosy coworking space and ultimately making this week both educational and enjoyable!"