Meet Volunteer Alyssa

Do Space would not be possible without all the volunteers that contribute to our programs and assisting our members. They are the pulse of everything we do and give us the ability to offer members help in all different kinds of skills. The goal of this effort it to capture and share the people that are volunteering at Do Space and how it positively affects their lives. What led them to volunteer? What sort of impact are they making? And why they continue to contribute?

Alyssa has held the role of Advocate, Explorer, Mentor, and Sidekick at Do Space since we opened in November of 2015! Alyssa is a professional Web Designer at Oriental Trading Company when she is not spending her time at Do Space.

What led you to volunteer at Do Space?
I initially decided to volunteer at Do Space because it was a different kind of volunteer position, and I was excited to work with technology old and new. As a web designer/developer who has had a computer since childhood, I figured I had the knowledge to be helpful to those who hadn’t been around it as much as I am.

What do you enjoy most about volunteering at Do Space?
I enjoy getting to see how proud people are when they learn a new skill or realize how easy it is to do something that they were super intimidated by when we started. I love when technology starts to seem less scary to the people I help.

What position do you hold at Do Space and how does it contribute towards Do Space mission?
Currently, I am a Sidekick at the Tech Help Desk and I also volunteer as a TA with Girls Who Code, In the past, I’ve also volunteered as a Mentor and a Community Advocate, so I’ve dabbled in a little bit of everything. I think all of these roles contribute to Do Space’s mission by providing access to technology and enable everyone from young girls in GWC to people of all ages to learn and accomplish goals through the use of technology.

When was a time that you felt like you made a difference and really helped a member?
A few times members have come in completely frazzled and without a lot of time to get something done, or they think it will be completely impossible. One time was a funeral program that needed to be formatted and printed, one time was thousands of songs that needed to be organized. It just felt good that when these people were entirely overwhelmed, we could help make their days better.

What is something you would tell a friend that is thinking about volunteering?
It’s totally worth trying it out. It’s a great place to volunteer both because of what you’re doing for people and what you get out of it. You get to see people learn and get to check out all the cool new technology Do Space has to offer and meet some people doing some exciting projects. You’ll get out of it as much as you put in.

If you are interested in volunteering, please CLICK HERE.