When I turned 18 having finished my A-Levels, I didn’t know what I wanted to do next. Having been coached by the amazing Active Club Experience (ACE) coaches in the past, I was intrigued if that was something I could get into.

I contacted Richard Weaver, the amazing leader of ACE and the man who had coached me as a kid and I was soon getting interviewed and starting work as a volunteer coach  doing amazing fulfilling work supporting disadvantaged children to be active in engaging ways and accessing opportunities that they normally wouldn’t get because their families couldn’t afford them. This is why ACE is so important as the activities are almost always free and allow disadvantaged children the chance to be active in a fun and engaging way playing sports like football, dodgeball, basketball, rugby, tigging games and active puzzle games.

It is particularly fulfilling to see children who are not particularly sporty becoming excited about being active and embracing it and developing a healthy lifestyle. Making children smile makes the role so fulfilling and supporting them through their worries and developing into young people is simply amazing.

After a month, I got a job as an ACE coach and I was able to work with hundreds of children seeing many children grow up into young people and to play a role in their development and to be a role model to them is something so special to me.

Another fulfilling part of the role is working with the elderly and getting them active but also providing them with some companionship which many older people lack as they deal with loneliness. To provide them some positivity in their lives and help their mental and physical health is so fulfilling as is working with disabled people and getting them active. The smiles on their faces are worth so much and to help these two often forgotten groups have something to enjoy and improve their mental and physical health is amazing.

The role has given me so many amazing experiences such as taking children on exciting and active residentials as well as trips such as to ninja warrior and ice skating.

For anyone who wants to do some volunteering for a fulfilling organisation helping people from so many backgrounds, this is something to consider. It is also a great job opportunity for anyone at any stage of life.