Take Ten with…
10 minutes, 10 revealing questions! Get to know the United Way UK team
Name: Zoe Chiarelli
Role: Project Officer
When did you join the team at United Way UK?
July 2021
What were you doing before that and what led you to this role?
I had just graduated from university during the pandemic and found it incredibly difficult to find work. I wanted a role that made a difference and when the role of project support intern arose, I thought it would be the perfect fit.
What does your role entail day to day?
My role varies based on how many projects we currently have running. But I have days that are researched based, where I search for existing volunteering opportunities in specific impact areas, finding potential charity partners we could work with, or just general research to see if the need exists or what areas of the UK have the greatest needs. Other days are content based where I will be preparing anything from surveys, forms, posters, and reports.
What challenges do you face within the role?
One of the main challenges that I face in my role is around our work with schools and smaller charities. I often have to liaise with them which can be very challenging as smaller charities do not usually have the resources to have someone constantly monitoring their inbox and schools tend to be very busy.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is seeing the positive impact we have on so many communities across the UK. Whether that is seeing how many food packs we create for low-income people or hearing how appreciative small charities are to receive our grants.
Tell us about the stand-out moments from United Way UK projects you’ve worked on.
I think my biggest stand-out moment was attending my first volunteering event with John Deere in Nottingham. We created food packs for singles, couples, and families to help combat poverty. This was a standout moment for me because I got to physically see the impact we were having as the warehouse quickly filled with shopping bags filled with essential food items. It was really refreshing to see the commitment and excitement of the volunteers as they walked around filling up bags of food.
What do you love most about working at United Way UK?
What I love most about working at United Way UK is working with such a kind and compassionate team that values the people they work with as human beings.
Who and/or what’s your biggest inspiration?
Working to make the world a fairer place.
Do you have any passion projects outside of work?
I really enjoy cooking and eating! I love any pasta-based meal or anything spicy!
Describe yourself in one word:
Passionate!