We’ve asked some of our volunteers what it is like to be part of an event like TEDxGlasgow, the reasons and benefits shared may surprise you!

With 2,000 members of the TEDxGlasgow community together to explore ideas around the theme of connection, it was a great event for Many get involved primarily to be proud of Glasgow, to help other people, or those less fortunate than ourselves. All have said that their volunteering experience has led to a multitude of professional outcomes:

• Increased their professional network across skills and sectors

• More aware of Scottish innovation and inspired a new passion or idea to act on

• Feel part of something bigger – a strong sense of civic pride for Glasgow and Scotland

Grant Reilly shares how his volunteering experience has been positive in a number of ways:

My professional network has increased greatly since getting involved with TEDxGlasgow, and the connections made have created a number of new contacts to develop my role within organisations and also created the network I needed to set up my own business and get a new job working in digital health.

Hannah Green shares how having such an impactful volunteering experience has helped to leap into Entrepreneurship.

“Being involved has opened up a network of people that I would not necessarily have been involved within my own career. I recently left my job of over 8 years and have branched out in my own business. I would say being involved in TEDxGlasgow has definitely inspired me by being around others who were frequently seeking change.”

But, it seems there are even more benefits to volunteering.  Feedback tells us that all have noticed a subtle shift in themselves, feel less absorbed in the normal stresses of daily life, and have shared that the main personal benefits from volunteering from TEDxGlasgow are:

• Having a positive outlook and feel part of a community

• An increased level of self-esteem and growth in confidence

• Meeting people they wouldn’t normally and have made new friends

Brendan Faulds shares how his volunteering has led to new creative skills and friendships.

“I wrote a new app for my Table Tennis club based on what I had learned from TEDxGlasgow and relationships I built during volunteering. I have also developed many new and important friendships during my 3 years that have changed me and my approach to life and embracing new challenges.”

TEDxGlasgow depends on the support of the fantastic talent of our volunteers, who provide us with their expertise and endless energy to make our events happen – without them we simply could not share so many ideas worth doing!

It is great to hear directly about the benefits and changes experienced by being involved, and to learn that positive impacts can come from outside the red circle too.