Volunteer Story - Emma Rockman

Emma started out as a volunteer with GCDA and now works at Kidbrooke Community Hub

Emma first got to know about GCDA a few years ago when she attended a FREE business course with GCDA Learning at The Eltham Centre. A little while later she got in touch with Made in Greenwich GCDA's shop which sells the work of local artists and makers. Emma was a stockist at Made in Greenwich for some time.

It wasn't until October 2023 that Emma started volunteering at GCDA's community hub, Woolwich Front Room helping to run the café and social space.

Woolwich Front Room

“As a stay-at-home mum, you have lots of transferable skills, but being out of formal work can have a detrimental effect and you can feel a bit lonely," says Emma. "Through volunteering at Woolwich Front Room, I met lots of new people and eventually was given some paid shifts opening up at the weekends.”

Emma was then offered more paid work at GCDA’s Kidbrooke Community Hub, where she obviously impressed the team, as this year she was offered a fixed hours contract of 24 hours a week as a Community Assistant.

“It’s perfect timing for me,” says Emma. “My kids are now teenagers, so I'm able to do my own thing a bit more. Volunteering really helped me build up my confidence and get used to being in the workplace again. Being a volunteer though isn’t just about what you get out of it. Volunteers bring so much life experience with them and as local people, they really know the community well. Everyone at GCDA has been so supportive, and it’s lovely to be employed in the team. I’m even doing some shifts at The Catford House, GCDA’s pub, which I really enjoy. I’d encourage anyone who’s thinking of volunteering to have a go, you just don’t know where it might lead and you can really make a difference to someone’s day.”

To find out more about volunteering at GCDA please contact Haley@gcda.org.uk