Food For Your Soul

Published: 25 Oct 2018

This National Pro Bono Week (22-27 October) we are celebrating the generosity and expertise of some of our pro bono helpline volunteers.

Zanisha Herbert explains the importance of the Working Families legal advice service, and the reason why she volunteers.

What queries surprised you or affected you the most?

Receiving queries from clients who are on the verge of becoming homeless with no way to feed their babies always affect me the most, even though they are far and few between.

I remember one client had unusually left their post code in their query which was great because I could use it to search for crisis resources from places such as their local council, their local Jobcentre and even their local foodbanks. Not expecting a reply, the information was sent over to the client who seemed to be so relieved that she was able to receive information she found otherwise impossible to find.

Being able to do some quick effective research that empowered someone to change their situation made me understand the importance of the service Working Families provides.

Why do you volunteer for Working Families?

Personally, making a difference, however small it may be, is what motivated me to volunteer for Working Families. Having studied law, I really wanted to use the skills I learnt to contribute to a form of social justice. Volunteering at Working Families really is food for your soul.