Ross decided to give volunteering a go after realising that the career he was in was no longer what he wanted to do. He started his journey by taking part in VAO’s Get Ready to Volunteer course which was run in partnership with the Community Learning, Development and Employability team at Orkney Islands Council.
Ross knew volunteering would allow him to explore different career paths and help give him an idea of what he would enjoy doing for work. Through the course he learnt how it could benefit him even more as well as understand how important volunteers are for the groups and organisations who rely on them.
Whilst on the course, Ross embarked on his first volunteering role with Fernvalley Wildlife Centre where he supported the animal keepers with cleaning, animal food preparation and feeding. Over the 6-month period before the centre closed, Ross completed over 100 hours of volunteering.
Following a recommendation, he then moved on to volunteer with Skaill House Falconry (now called Hrossey Raptors) and intends to continue there supporting upcoming seasons.
More recently Ross joined RSPB Orkney as a Practical Reserve Work volunteer helping to maintain their nature reserves. He is now also volunteering with Species on the Edge - a collaboration of conservation organisations including the RSPB, dedicated to protecting Scotland’s rarest and most vulnerable coastal and island species.
Volunteering was also a positive way for Ross to overcome some mental and physical health difficulties. He said:
I found myself needing something to do to keep busy, to get me out of the house and to reassure myself that I could still manage to do a day’s work.
Becoming a volunteer benefited Ross in many different ways, some of which he had not considered before he started - he has enjoyed working as part of team, had more social interaction and learned new things. He said:
Volunteering has also helped to boost my CV as well as my sense of purpose and satisfaction - I feel very positive about helping the organisation and the people involved.
Volunteering has also helped Ross to build his confidence in interacting with the general public, a common skill required for many different jobs. Ross said:
Having the opportunity to build confidence in this area through volunteering has been really beneficial for boosting my experience and helping with applying for jobs.
Talking about the support Ross received from VAO, he said:
I have found it to be very helpful to have someone I can communicate with about volunteering opportunities and I have found the occasional check-ins with how things are going to be very supportive.
Sam Stringer, Species on the Edge People Engagement Officer (Orkney), supported Ross during his volunteering placements with both Species on the Edge and RSPB Orkney. Sam said:
Ross joined one of our wildlife walks led by Wild Orkney Walks in Autumn 2025. He enjoyed learning about grey seal pups, and how to watch them safely without disturbance. The experience - being outside and connecting to nature, made him want to volunteer to support and protect Orkney wildlife. With assistance from VAO, Ross made contact with Species on the Edge and RSPB Orkney and now volunteers with both organisations!
In winter 2025, as part of the RSPB Orkney Reserves team, he helped with scrub cutting and habitat creation for wader species. Then in spring 2026, he put up signage with Species on the Edge to raise awareness of protecting ground nesting birds, including terns. Later in 2026 he will help Wild Orkney Walks do their annual count of grey seal pups.
Ross clearly loves volunteering outdoors and by connecting to nature in this way, he has been learning new skills, gaining knowledge, confidence and work experience. It has been great to witness his volunteering journey so far, and we want to thank him for helping to protect Orkney's wildlife now and for the future.
To anyone considering volunteering and are a little unsure, Ross says:
From my experience the group or organisation you volunteer with is very understanding of your personal circumstances and as you are there voluntarily they don’t expect you to do anything you don’t feel comfortable doing - they are very grateful for the help. It can feel daunting to start with but there is lots of positives to be gained through volunteering.
