Paths aren't always as straight as they seem

When I graduated from the University of the West of Scotland with a degree in Society, Politics and Policy, I had my heart set on what I believed would be the perfect post-uni journey. I had just completed an incredible internship through the John Smith Centre and felt confident, maybe even certain, that everything was lining up exactly as it should.

This was it. The beginning of my BIG GIRL job era, but things didn’t go quite to plan. As I started applying for jobs, reality hit. The process was slow, the rejections rolled in, and the hours of interview prep began to wear me down. What once felt like a clear, straight road started to feel rocky, confusing, even impossible. I leaned into my faith during those moments, but I also had to face a hard truth: this journey wasn't going to be as straightforward as I hoped.

My parents and big sister, my personal advocates gently and patiently suggested that maybe it was time to consider a different route. But I was stubborn, I didn’t want to hear it. Perfectionism had a tight grip on me, and I refused to entertain anything other than securing a job right after my internship. To me, anything else felt like failure.

They reminded me, repeatedly, that not having a job straight out of uni didn’t make me a failure. Slowly, I started to let go of my unrealistic expectations. My big sister, who had a similar academic path and landed her own dream job, suggested volunteering. At first, I didn't want to consider it, but eventually I began searching for local opportunities and came across the Scottish Pantry Network. It checked so many of my boxes, I had a meeting with Mandy, the CEO, who despite not having a big staff team at the time, was so excited for me to start. To my surprise, she didn’t just tell me what to do. Mandy asked what skills I wanted to offer, and social media, research, and poster design were my answers.

So I began my journey of managing the organisation’s social media, falling in love with Canva, and rediscovering my own creativity. A few months later, I was offered a full-time position as Admin and social media Officer. The very path I had once rejected was leading me exactly where I needed to be. From there, I began to grow, building websites, gaining confidence in professional settings, and learning the rhythm of a BIG GIRL JOB. 

Now, I’m proud to say I’m the Operations Assistant at TSPN. I do a little bit of everything, from supporting our network of 26 pantries to building partnerships, funding application and keeping our operations running smoothly.

This wasn’t the journey I planned, it turned out to be even better.

So, just because the path is not that one you wanted to take doesn’t mean another one can’t form, mines formed from a simple yes to volunteering and now has led to career progression that I had never thought about.

If you want to start your volunteering journey, please get in touch with [email protected] we have a range of opportunities available at TSPN and have team of staff who are willing to support your needs and goals even beyond TSPN.- 

-Rebecca Manirankunda, Operations Assistant