Interviewer

Okay, can you start off by telling us your name, age, and which group you are representing today?

 

Saara Copsey

My name is Saara. I’m 35. Mt group is Shared Space Westcliff.

 

Saara Copsey

Perfect. And what first inspired you to become a part of Shared Space?

 

Saara Copsey

I learned new skills, and sorting out donations, and meeting new friends.

 

Interviewer

Awesome. And so could you talk a little bit about what you do here?

 

Saara Copsey

I do donations. I sort out the clothes, and I sort out the sizes.

 

Interviewer

And when did you get started here?

 

Saara Copsey

August of last year.

Interviewer

Was this your first time volunteering or have you had experience volunteering before?

 

Saara Copsey

I had experience volunteering before.

 

Interviewer

What type of volunteering?

 

Saara Copsey

Charity shop, old people and nurseries.

 

Interviewer

Okay, cool. So you’ve had a lot of experience.

 

Saara Copsey

Yes I have. Yes.

 

Interviewer

Do you know how many years you’ve been volunteering?

 

Saara Copsey

I did the nursery for two years, old people for two years, and this is coming up to a year in August.

Interviewer

Wow. What do you like about volunteering?

 

Saara Copsey

I see my friends come in the shop, and we learn new skills, and we learn new everything really. I caught a shoplifter the other day. My first time catching a shoplifter with Peter.

 

Interviewer

Oh wow.

 

Saara Copsey

So we got our stuff back.

 

Interviewer

Oh good.

 

Saara Copsey

Pretty good.

 

Interviewer

What did they try and steal?

 

Saara Copsey

We are not sure. I think it was a top.

 

Interviewer

Okay.

 

Saara Copsey

Something like that.

 

Interviewer

And how did you handle it?

 

Saara Copsey

I called Peter, and Peter stopped him, shut the door, and we’d stopped her.

 

 

Interviewer

And have you seen any change in Shared Space as a group?

 

Saara Copsey

Yes. eBay’s changed eBay. We’ve just changed it on Monday.

 

Interviewer

Oh really? What does that mean?

 

Saara Copsey

We’ve got a new door and we’ve got new shelves so it’s more private for them because this is an eBay room.

 

Interviewer

Oh, okay. Cool, like part of the shop is online?

 

Saara Copsey

Yes. That’s it. Yes..

 

Interviewer

Oh, okay. So you sell some of the clothes through eBay?

 

Saara Copsey

Yes we do. Yes.

 

Interviewer

Oh wow. Do you help out with that at all or no?

 

Saara Copsey

No. I’ve seen a few bits that I like, but it’s okay.

 

Interviewer

Okay. And have you changed at all in your roles since being here?

 

Saara Copsey

Yes, my days. I used to do one day, now I do two days.

 

Interviewer

As someone who volunteers a lot, do you have any advice for people who are just starting off on their volunteering journey?

 

Saara Copsey

Take your time, don’t rush, and take it steady.

 

Interviewer

Did you start off slow?

 

Saara Copsey

I started very slow. Yes. I just did the tags. Now I do donations.

 

Interviewer

What does doing donations entail?

 

Saara Copsey

It means you drop something in, and we sort it out for you. We steam it, then we price it, then we take it out on the shop floor.

 

Interviewer

Oh wow. Which part of your volunteering here would you call your favourite?

 

Saara Copsey

All of it.

 

Interviewer

All of it?

 

Saara Copsey

All of it.

 

Interviewer

And do you have – I know you talked a little about the shoplifting – but do you have any specific memory at Shared Space that you could call your favourite, or just any?

 

Saara Copsey

I see quite a few famous people here. Film directors.

 

Interviewer