My discovery day: 5 Key Lessons

What’s the “Discovery Day”?

It’s a great opportunity to give back and get involved in some very worthwhile and appreciated volunteering. The role of the 15 Fidelity fellows that took part in this day was to work alongside professional coaches to help with a mixture of sports (athletics, trampoline, boxing…) and gain experience working with children with special needs.

What are my 5 key lessons learnt during my Discovery Day?

1. Experience no required: it’s ok to feel a bit insecure about how you are going to interact with children in a new environment, but they make it so easy that you only have to follow your instincts.

2. Being different is an opportunity: It is fun to be different. Everyone has their own unique talents and personality that make them beautiful just the way that they truly are.

3. Celebrate the small wins: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”.

4. Never share who’s your favourite football player (especially if he is Fernando Torres) if you don’t want a big bunch of kids to laugh at you.

5. Although you think you are fit, it is never a bad idea to pack a spare change of clothes, particularly if the kids NEVER get tired and then you have to attend a meeting.

This Discovery Day was an amazing experience which reminded me that life is about perspective. And of course, we can never forget what an amazing job teachers, coaches and mainly parents do.