Sayeeda is a second-year student studying Law and Criminology at Edge Hill university. To support her academic studies, Sayeeda was keen to gain some practical experience in a role that would allow her to reflect on the theory she was learning. Through the university careers team, she was introduced to the Volunteer Coordinator at n-compass, a charity that provides advocacy services helping people understand and ensure their rights are upheld.

Sayeeda was offered a volunteer placement in the Duty Advocacy team. Through her induction and training she found the team to be very supportive, Sayeeda said “the advocacy team have been great, I would ask a million questions a day and they wouldn’t hesitate to help and spend time with me… they are one of the best teams I’ve ever worked with.”

The volunteer placement allowed Sayeeda to achieve the goals she had set herself, but she also learnt new skills and realised her passion for helping people. She said “the entire process of advocacy brought to my attention how much I can change people lives by helping them see a way through their issues”

Volunteering for the Advocacy team has had a profound impact on Sayeeda to a point where she has now applied for a new degree course at Edge Hill University to pursue her passion to become an advocate.