A young person holding a plushie

Minecrafting friendships

Bobby VeitchNews

Volunteer Emma wanted to utilise her spare time and give back to her community. Through volunteering with our Positive Transitions service, she helped Rhuraidgh to grow his confidence through playful sessions.


Emma originally joined People Know How as a volunteer in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic. She wanted to make the most out of the extra time she found on her hands and further her passion for working with and supporting children.

She volunteered as part of our Positive Transitions service, through which we support children and young people in the transition from primary to secondary school, and was matched with a young person called Rhuraidgh.

Plushies, TV shows and shenanigans

Rhuraidgh was being supported by Positive Transitions as high school approached. He was matched with Emma and their first sessions began digitally due to the lockdown restrictions.

Through regular sessions, they bonded over Minecraft and his love for his plushies. Rhuraidgh had a vivid imagination and loved telling stories; during their sessions, he’d work with Emma to write and perform TV shows using his plushies, bringing his brilliant ideas to life in front of their eyes. Through storytelling, he also began to feel more comfortable expressing his fears about the future.

A Digital Support Volunteer using a computer

Participating in these sessions helped build his social skills and share his passions with new people, preparing him for the transition to a new environment and making new friends in high school.

Rhuraidgh’s confidence flourished over the 18 months.

“As the sessions went on, he asked more questions than I did. When I think back, it was nice to see him progress and talk about school.”
Emma

A new career

When Emma came to the end of her volunteering at People Know How she looked back fondly at her time supporting Rhuraidgh.

Emma has since gone on to work in support as a mental health support officer crediting her time with People Know How and VIP Coordinator Leah as a great benefit to her career.

“I would definitely recommend it, it really helped with my role and adaptability, I was given the flexibility to create my own sessions, taught how to engage with young people and build communication skills.”
Emma

Become a Youth Work Volunteer

Looking to follow in Emma’s footsteps and become a Volunteer with People Know How? Join our team as a Youth Work Volunteer, where you’ll get the opportunity to facilitate our group workshops with young people, providing them with support and a safe environment to build their confidence.