In honour of Volunteer Week, an annual campaign which celebrates the amazing contributions of volunteers in the UK, we caught up with volunteer Joakin Clary Niemi Junkola who provides an insight into his volunteer journey with Hope for the Future.

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What inspired you to join the Hope for the Future team as a volunteer?

As a fairly small charity I knew Hope for the Future had something unique to offer as an organisation. Particularly their non-partisan approach to tackling issues really inspired and resonated with me, as I recognise we live in very polarising times and it can often be difficult to see how we make progress as a society when there is a perceived lack of consensus. Having just finished my Master’s where I discovered in more detail, the role and impact of NGOs and not-for-profit organisations, I was curious to see the inner workings of a charity, especially one with a more grassroots operation.

What’s been your favourite part of volunteering so far?

Personally, I've really enjoyed exploring my creative skills again and having an opportunity to create graphics for HFTF training and events. One particular experience that has been interesting is the transition to our new branding by Few & Far. For Climate Compass, the social media series where I collate the month's climate and nature related events, I had to redesign everything in accordance with the new brand guidelines. Starting from scratch in this way was really enlightening and it made me think again about the conventions we’re meant to follow, and how I could take the rebrand as an opportunity to be more creative.

I have always had a creative perspective and an eye for visual details. Although my technical skills have been born out of teaching myself Photoshop and having a few modules at university on digital arts and brand identity, this particular responsibility has really helped sharpen my graphic design abilities, and I can see how much I've progressed from the first post I created.

Being a part of an exceptionally supportive and informed team has also been a highlight for me. There's a genuine collaborative spirit and everyone shares their insights on current affairs affecting climate, nature and politics. It's great to be surrounded by such a wealth of knowledge because you get to learn about these issues in a totally different way from people with expertise and lived experience.

Have you overcome any challenges while volunteering?

One challenge I've struggled with is the speed of which I write. It was a challenge during my time at uni but one that I could work around by making an earlier start to assignments. In a work environment where there's shorter turn over times, I realised I had to be quicker and not spend more time thinking of what to write than writing itself. As a Digital Communications Volunteer one responsibility we have is to write the copy for social media posts, which are at their best when they are written in HFTF’s voice and have a punchy hook which summarises our key message and call to action. Breaking down all the ingredients that go into copy and crafting a formula that ticks all the boxes has really helped improve the clarity of my writing as well as the speed.

What have you learned about yourself since volunteering?

I’ve learnt that I’m someone who enjoys learning far more through doing practical things and being given constructive feedback, rather than just being self-critical of myself in isolation. I have more of a collaborative spirit than I first thought and I’m keen to know what other people think of the work I produce because there’s always something you can take away from someone else's perspective that you hadn’t first thought of.

If you had to sum up your experience of volunteering in 3 words, what would they be?

Impactful, informative and inspiring.

Has volunteering at Hope for the Future impacted the way you feel about climate and nature action?

Volunteering has given me a closer look at how climate action is born and it has made me think more deeply about what more we need to achieve as a society to see meaningful climate action that results in progress. It has also opened my eyes to the various different ways you can get involved in making a difference too, it doesn't have to always be about protest or issues on a national level, it can start with looking in your own back garden and making grassroots change in your own community. One local campaign I've kept my eye on since joining HFTF is by Cooperation Sheffield, a local campaign group that have been organising people assemblies to discuss a community alternative to a McDonalds proposed on a brownfield site in Highfield, which has now been rejected twice by the council. There's many ways of taking action for an issue you care about and Hope for the Future has diversified my thinking through the various resources and specialist training they provide. 

Why do you think digital channels are so important for charities?

We still live in a world where 24/7 news cycles are dominated by politicians and elites setting the agenda, which makes it harder for thousands of charities each with their own cause to be heard and garner national attention. Digital channels whether it be established platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook, or the rise of short form video, allow charities to compete in a democratised environment for the hearts and minds of people.

Is there anything that has surprised you about working in a charity organisation?

For a charity addressing the climate crisis, I was surprised by how pragmatic and nuanced Hope for the Future’s views around using AI were, given that the environmental impacts are so often discussed as the biggest implication. I hadn’t expected an openness to using it, but the emphasis has always been on using AI tools responsibly and efficiently, as a support rather than a replacement for independent thinking or creativity. I personally believe that social impact organisations shouldn’t exclude themselves from using AI just because it is misused by other organisations or users, especially if it allows them to focus on achieving their mission and being innovative, as opposed to drowning in admin. Those of us who participate in online spaces where “AI slop” content has become rampant, are vocal about our opposition to using AI in a lazy way to replace quality communications or commentary. So I think that should give some hope to people who are concerned that AI is invading our online and offline cultural spaces as well.

What would your advice be to someone considering volunteering?

Be curious about all facets of the charity you're working for. Understand how they raise funds and what it enables the charity to do, and who are the kinds of people or organisations which donate or interact with the charity's events. Knowing as much as possible about your charity and the people it seeks to serve can really help inform your own work for the charity. If that's communication and creating content, it helps you understand who you are communicating to and what type of journey they go on, do they sign up to our newsletter and donate to our Big Give campaign, or are they a quiet observer? Volunteering is a great way to practice your skills in a professional environment whilst also meeting like-minded people who are already playing a part in making change happen as well.

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A massive thank you to Joakin from the whole Hope for the Future team for his work with us 💚Joakin creates our monthly Climate Compass content, which is monthly updates on all things climate, nature and politics. Make sure you keep in the loop by following us on social media!

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Instagram: https://instagram.com/hopeforthefuture_uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hope4TFuture/ 

LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/company/hope-for-the-future-uk