Pro Bono Week 2021 – Volunteering during the pandemic

Published: 1 Nov 2021

For Pro Bono Week 2021, Esther Quarcoo, a volunteer at Working Families who joined in the summer of 2020, tells us why she chose to volunteer with the charity.

“I chose to volunteer at Working Families as I’ve always had a passion for making a positive impact in individuals lives, especially when it comes to access to legal advice. Many people are unable to afford the help they need or simply do not understand the sometimes complex processes and so I feel it is important that there are systems in place to help those who need it.

“Working Families is a great charity as they give valuable advice to parents who can be in very difficult situations. Added to the normal difficulties of being a working parent, the pandemic brought on more uncertainty for families and was a great cause of concern for many. Suddenly parents had no childcare options and were at risk of also losing their jobs. Volunteering during this time was busy with the huge number of parents getting in touch, but it was also greatly rewarding. It’s also lovely hearing back from those we have helped letting us know the positive impact our advice has had to their work and home life.

“Lastly, volunteering was a great way for me to gain hands on experience in the employment law field, as having graduated from Law School in 2017 I wanted a way to brush up my legal skills. The team were all amazing allowing me many opportunities to get involved and try new things. I’m glad I took the opportunity to volunteer and would definitely do it again!”