From Youthquake to The Reader - Benji's story
We recently caught up with Benji who’s on work experience at The Reader after completing our Youthquake traineeship.
Youthquake helped me come out my shell. Especially going up on stage. It was a bit scary. We worked as a group to come up with an idea for an app called Tribe.
Now I’m really enjoying being at The Reader. I love reading so this is a good place to be. On my first day I had a tour of everything. I really liked the Chinese garden and the library.
I’ve found my place working in the bookshop. I’ve been serving customers and I’m really enjoying it. I have a laugh with the other volunteers and we chat about music on our breaks. It’s nice meeting people who come in – everyone is lovely.
I love the library and meeting new people every week. I’d love to work here more days during the week.
Greg, Young Person’s Mentor at The Reader, said: “We knew we had to find something exciting for Benji. He’s had a go at archiving, in the cafe and in the office.
"As soon as we got in the shop it just worked. The team love him and his confidence has grown massively.
"We're at volunteer-led organisation and there's lots of opportunities for young people here. I manage and mentor young people to help them find what works for them. It's all about the right fit."
Smashing it Benji!