Hey, I’m Tamara and I’ve been volunteering at Kids Kabin for around 3 months now, although it feels like forever. I originally started volunteering at Kids Kabin to gain experience which would take me out of my comfort zone and maybe into a different career path... Well, a totally different career path actually! It’s been a dream of mine to spend the summer working at Camp America for as long as I can remember but I didn’t stand a chance of getting placed without any experience. So, I sat in front of the computer until I found somewhere I could get the experience I needed.
Growing up in Walker, I had briefly heard of Kids Kabin but didn’t think anything of it. It wasn’t until I was online looking for somewhere to volunteer that I came across the Kids Kabin website and read about the organisation that I thought “this is where I want to work”!
After waiting around a month (felt like a year) for my DBS to come back and to be given a start date I eventually had my first shift! Before Kids Kabin, I had little to no experience of working with children and I was so nervous but excited to start. One of the kids were kind enough to introduce me to staff and kids who were attending Kids Kabin that night. I couldn’t believe an 8 year old put me at ease by doing this but it worked and I will forever be grateful 😊 I was made to feel part of the family from the second I stepped into the centre and the feeling has grown ever since.
I love every second I spend with the kids at Kids Kabin and it really is such a lovely sense of community and family. Whether the kids are new or basically part of the furniture they are always full of excitement and up for whatever challenge we throw at them. Not only have I learnt techniques on how to work with children and A LOT about myself, I have also learnt how to make dream catchers, photo frames, vegetarian meals, baubles, and lots more which I can take away with me to America.
Volunteering at Kids Kabin has given me a different outlook on life and it truly is rewarding to see the kids having fun with their friends. I can’t wait to come back and hopefully continue my journey as a volunteer with this amazing organisation.
