GC colleague, Susan Adzakey, a wellbeing keyworker in our GC Employment team. dedicates her spare time to supporting her local community, and has been announced as a finalist in the BBC Radio Sheffield Make a Difference Awards.
Susan was nominated in the Volunteer award category in recognition of her commitment to selflessly helping people across her home city of Sheffield.
The annual awards, which take place on Friday 13th September, celebrate groups and individuals who strive to make life better for others and include award categories such as Carer, Fundraiser, and Bravery.
For over a year, Susan has split her spare time between four local charities, all alongside her full-time role working with people on probation for the Growth Company Personal Wellbeing Services.
A Committed Volunteer
Susan spends some of her weeknights volunteering with FoodCyle – a charity which receives food donations from local supermarkets and turns them into cooked three-course meals for people in the community - reducing waste, providing healthy meals, and decreasing isolation. She also volunteers with the Grenoside Junior Voices choir one night a week, supporting the conductor and looking after the children who attend the sessions, which form part of the Sheffield Music Hub.
Once a month, Susan volunteers as a member of the South Yorkshire Police Stop and Search scrutiny panel, a role which involves reviewing officers’ body worn camera footage to ensure police are utilising their powers correctly, and that communities across Sheffield are treated fairly.
In October 2023, Susan became president of her local conference of volunteers for St Vincent de Paul, a charity which provides practical support to people in need. As well as managing 11 volunteer members in Sheffield, Susan receives multiple referrals a week from local services across different postcodes and is on hand to support people with anything from foodbank vouchers to clothing and accessing technology.
Incredibly, in addition to these commitments, Susan still finds the time to make blankets which she donates to people in the community.
The Drive To Make A Difference
Explaining her motivation for volunteering, Susan told us:
“It’s so sad that in this day and age, some people cannot afford to eat or heat their homes, and that discrimination and injustice are still issues in our communities. What drives me is knowing that the little that I can do in my own little way goes a long way.”
Dave Vaughan, Operations Manager at GC Employment, congratulated Susan on her award nomination:
“We were delighted to hear of Susan’s award nomination and blown away by just how much she does to help others.
“Susan is a wonderful colleague who clearly makes a positive impact far beyond her role as a keyworker. It’s evident to see that her kindness and compassion are felt across Sheffield and beyond, and she is so deserving of this award. We wish her the very best of luck!”
