It’s Volunteers’ Week 2025 and as part of that, we’re celebrating some of our fantastic Shelter Scotland volunteers who selflessly give their time, expertise and experience to furthering our mission to end the housing emergency and ensure everyone in Scotland has the right to a safe, secure and affordable home.
Amy volunteers within our Communications and Media Team and we caught up with her to understand more about what they do for us, what got them into it, and why it’s such an important role that we’re glad Amy is providing their expertise for.
Q. Tell us about yourself and your housing experience
A. As a child I was unaware that I lived in social housing. I had a happy, stable home and the fact that the rent was lower and paid to the council was, naturally, irrelevant to me as a child. Of course, there were signs as I got older, often small things like we were unable to paint our washing line poles bright colours as the council said they had to be neutral.
My memories of that home are positive – it had enough space, it felt safe. What has become more apparent, through my work with Shelter Scotland, is that if my mother was in the same situation she was 30 years ago now, when we lived in our council flat, we could very easily have been placed in temporary accommodation.
The stories I read about completely unsuitable temporary accommodation could easily have not just been stories, but real life. My council home was truly a home, a place of stability and joy – but it could have so easily not been. To get to a stage where there is enough social housing to meet the demand, to give all children in temporary accommodation a permanent place to live, should be a top priority for the government and Shelter Scotland’s work towards this is a lifeline for so many.
Q. How did you come across a volunteer role at Shelter Scotland?
A. I approached the possibility of a voluntary role with Shelter Scotland after a difficult housing circumstance where I believed my housing rights were being breached but had no real awareness of what my rights actually were to exercise them. I found Shelter Scotland’s website an invaluable resource when I was trying to figure out the complexities of housing law. This led to me having the confidence to pursue my case with the Housing Tribunal, and consequently win, as Shelter Scotland’s more easily digestible information gave me power to know what was wrong and how to fight it.
Without knowing my rights fully, I would have been unable to recognise the illegal practices I was experiencing and know what my options were. Through that experience the prospect of becoming homeless was real, and I could understand more fully how valuable support from Shelter Scotland is.
Meet our Communications Volunteer, Amy
Q. What do you bring the team?
A. I currently work as a Dispensing Optician day to day and assist with several areas relating to communications and marketing for the business I work for. When I saw Shelter Scotland had a voluntary opening in their Communications team, I knew this would be a great fit for my skills and interests.
I have a degree in English, and my career involves empathy, communicating information in different ways, plus I am passionate about equality so together I feel this lends me well for the role as a Communications Support Volunteer. To be able to take some time to help the fight towards Shelter Scotland’s end goal is a privilege, and I love spending time feeling I am playing a small part in that. In the rest of my spare time, I am a keen reader and filmgoer, enjoy many creative outlets like painting, yoga classes, alongside walking and just generally being outside enjoying the beauty that surrounds us here in Scotland.
Q. What have you learned so far?
A. Over the past few months, I have learnt a huge amount about housing and the housing emergency in Scotland. I have learnt about housing law, the staggering numbers of children in temporary accommodation and the impact this has through the In Their Own Words: Children’s Experience in Temporary Accommodation report (ITOW report), and the often-illegal practices that can result in people becoming homeless.
I have heard from case studies of those who are living in unsuitable temporary accommodation, and I have been involved in stunts to publicise and increase awareness of this often-incomprehensible circumstance many people find themselves in.
I think of my bedroom in our council house, my own bedroom, with space to have my toys and a separate space to eat, live and play, to not be forced to move out, and I think about how that was down to luck and many people are not so lucky. I think how we are, in effect, only a few negative experiences away from being in these circumstances ourselves.
Q. Anything else to add?
A. The ITOW report highlights the harmful impact temporary accommodation can have on children’s wellbeing and development. It further exemplifies how Shelter Scotland’s work to end the housing emergency is critical to everyone – whether you need their help or not– and how crucial it is to advocate and to push towards a safe and secure home for all.
We want to thank Amy for being one of our amazing volunteers and for selflessly giving us their time, knowledge and experience to help us towards ending the housing emergency.
If you feel inspired and would love to volunteer for Shelter Scotland, you can view all of our current opportunities here. If there’s nothing that feels suitable, new opportunities are added regularly.