"I started volunteering for Arthritis Ireland when I was in college and have found it to be a really rewarding experience. In my first year in UCD I became friendly with a girl who had arthritis and she asked me to come along to an event to help out. I was a bit hesitant at first because I always thought with these sort of events that volunteers are given jobs that nobody else wants, but I was to be proven wrong. That first event was for children with juvenile arthritis and I had to look after the younger ones as their parents attended lectures. It really turned out to be great fun and I felt like I was making a big difference. It’s not until you actually take part in an event like that that you see how essential volunteers are to a charity like Arthritis Ireland. That was a few years ago now and even though I’m working a full time job, I still make time to help out at a few events each year. I always feel like it gives me a great boost that lasts for days afterwards and you’d be surprised how much it can put your conscience at ease. It also helped me to develop extra skills in areas that wouldn’t be tested by my work, it looks good on my CV and my boss is always impressed when I tell him about the latest Arthritis Ireland event I’ve been volunteering at. I’ve made lots of friends with other Arthritis Ireland volunteers too." Helen (27) Milltown, Dublin.