Volunteering leads to dream job

When Doncaster woman Zara Marwood was studying for a psychology degree she knew the job she wanted but didn’t have any experience.

So Zara (21), of Lakeside, approached a local health trust to see if she could volunteer.

Staff at NHS Talking Therapies in Doncaster, which is run by Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH), were only too pleased to offer Zara a volunteering role.

Zara, who graduated from the Open University last summer, wanted to be a psychological wellbeing practitioner (PWP) like her sister.

Zara said: “There was a trainee PWP worker advertised but I couldn’t apply because I hadn’t graduated. I knew I needed to get real life experience of working in mental health to be able to get my dream role. I approached the service and they allowed me to volunteer.

“Volunteering meant I could shadow patients undergoing one-to-one counselling and attend group sessions, giving me a great insight into the role. I got to feel what the job was like, what attending meetings was like and then I saw the job advertised again.”

Zara applied for the role, but wasn’t initially successful. She carried on volunteering and when she applied the second time, clinched her dream role.

Zara now starts as a trainee PWP at Doncaster’s NHS Talking Therapies in March (2025).

“I’m really looking forward to it” said Zara. “Volunteering really helped me. I got to see whether I would like the role, or not, I got to meet the staff and gained great experience about the job before applying for the role.

“I’d say to anyone wondering about volunteering, just apply and have a go!”

You can watch Zara’s video about volunteering (opens in new window).

Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Stuart Green, who leads on volunteering at Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) by emailing stuart.green4@nhs.net.

Anyone who may need the support should visit NHS Talking Therapies.

Published: March 13, 2025