Our communications intern, Ashley Ng, is approaching the end of two months of her experience at Habitat for Humanity. Every Friday, she volunteers her time at Habitat ReStore Lisburn and it has quickly become her favourite day of the week. Read on to learn more about her experience as a ReStore volunteer.
I would like to imagine the office and the ReStore as two separate worlds. Worlds that are connected by a single flight of stairs. It's been weeks since I started volunteering every Friday and still, the contrast between the calm of the office upstairs to the buzz of the store downstairs amuses me.
Without fail, these Fridays are the busiest days for the store (as I've been told) and I can definitely believe it. I usually work at the till and the nature of that work means I'm always on my feet assisting customers. It's incredibly easy for me to lose track of time, to the point where I have to be shooed away to take my breaks.
One of the first things I learned is that ReStore is not about the stock or the low pricing, but about the people. I don't mean just the customers. In fact, I'd like to highlight how the other volunteers have welcomed me, walked me through all the how-to's, and taken over when it was clear I was struggling. I learn a lot by watching and then doing. I don't tend to make the same mistake twice and it is because of the learning environment that these volunteers foster.
When working at the front, I'm never left to fend for myself. I'm usually paired up with Jenny and Marion, who have years of experience and it shows. It shows in their endless patience in guiding me, their dedication to each customer, and their ease in accomplishing various tasks. I still have so much to learn from them.
I would say my experience as a volunteer is very unique, mostly in part of being an American citizen far from home. Something I didn't consider enough prior to working at the till is how I'm not used to the currency at all. When a customer pays in cash, I'm often fumbling with counting and sorting the coins. Jenny was kind enough to draw me a diagram of all the coins on my first day, and it's hilarious to think back to it now.
It's natural to strike up a conversation as I ring items up at the till. To customers, it's glaringly obvious that my accent isn't from the area. Most customers are curious to hear a bit of my story and in listening, they always give the best advice in adjusting to life in Northern Ireland. I would say I'm adjusting relatively well to understanding the accents here, but I draw the line at answering the phone. I don't think I'm ready for that challenge just yet (if ever).
Part of my duties up at the front include pricing and restocking items that arrive to the counter. By now, I have a good idea of how most items should be priced due to my experience at the till. But there's some irony to be found in this situation. Sure, make the one American volunteer price the items, it'll go well! It's a fun joke to make whenever I need to ask other volunteers for their thoughts on pricing a certain item.
I really do enjoy my time volunteering in ReStore. It makes my day when I spot that a customer purchased the items that I have priced and placed onto the shelves. It's also a welcome change of pace from my other days working in the office as a communications intern. I would say Habitat ReStore is the most visible aspect of Habitat for Humanity's work, with the greatest local impact. Every customer is different, every story is different, and my exposure to people from all walks of life deepens my connection to Habitat's mission. Being a part of ReStore's work only improves my level of understanding in my role.
I'm very glad my manager suggested I volunteer in the store and I look forward to my Fridays in ReStore for the months to come! Keep an eye out for my next blog in a month, where I plan to share a different experience from my time here at Habitat.
