Stories of Volunteering: Shelby

I help people thrive by contributing my skills, my experience, and my compassion to the communities that I am most passionate about supporting.

I grew up in a family where I was encouraged to help people who weren't as privileged as I was.

I find you learn a great deal when you volunteer. It's a situation where you're out of your depth, where you get to meet people from different walks of life that you normally wouldn't, and get exposure to different experiences and perspectives outside of your bubble.

It’s taught me humility and gratitude and the value of being in service to others.  Every time I've volunteered, I’ve further developed my ability to connect with people. I think it’s some of the best bootcamp sales training to head out on the street, shaking a can at strangers, to raise funds for charitable organizations. It’s incredibly humbling and also an opportunity to cast out your pride and inhibitions to step out and up for others.

I grew up in a tight community where my mum was very active in the community and there were regular events and drives that the whole family got involved in. As a kid I got exposed to contributing in a variety of ways from making things to sell at fetes, collecting cans, raising sponsorships or knocking on doors to support everything from the drought in Ethiopia or responding to a natural or man-made disaster to supporting more local environment or charitable groups like the Salvation Army or Clean Up Australia Day or Plant a Tree day.

I love working for a company that has an enduring commitment to contribute to the community. Our Sapient Gives Back days show respect for each of us as individuals and empowers us to support & contribute to our communities in the way which is most personally meaningful.