Interview with Ben S, 12th March 2026

Transcript

00:00:00 Belle

Hello, I'm Belle from Discovery and it's the 12th of March 2026 and I'm here with Ben at the Discovery 60th anniversary event.

So, Ben, would you mind starting by telling me about your connection to Discovery?

00:00:11 Ben S

So, my connection with Discovery is that I used to volunteer here and I also worked for Discovery on an internship for a year. I used to project coordinate a project called Kids Away and we used to take vulnerable young children out to have, I don't know, just like a safe space and and broaden the horizons, doing fun activities.

And when I was an intern here, I worked in, well, I was going to say the finance department, but actually it's just one person, myself. So yeah, it was a finance internship. So yeah.

00:00:42 Belle

Amazing.

So, were there any particular projects, other than the one you mentioned that you worked on, or was it just that one?

00:00:48 Ben S

So, a project coordinated that one and also another one called Food Swansea. And that was a project that used to kind of collect what would be food waste from supermarkets and the amazing chefs at the university would cook it, and then we'd host like a dinner for and invite community members to come in to help reduce isolation, build community connections, that kind of thing.

And apart from that, I volunteered on quite a few different projects. Yeah, there were just so many back then and it was just, yeah, super fun.

00:01:18 Belle

Do you have any like standout memories from?

00:01:20 Ben S

I think. Definitely working, like being a staff member, an intern at Discovery, because then you kind of get to see behind the scenes and work with amazing staff here. And I got so many opportunities, I think, working as a staff member.

But I can't, it's hard to say, it's been so long now, but it's hard to say like any other standout memories really, I think.

00:01:42 Belle

So how long were you with Discovery?

00:01:46 Ben S

Probably like 4, maybe 3 years I'd say actually.

00:01:50 Belle

Amazing. Was that throughout your studies in Swansea?

00:01:53 Ben S

Yes, yeah, well actually I did four years at the university.

00:01:57 Belle

Yeah.

00:01:58 Ben S

So yeah, two of them was like when I was studying, another one was my internship year.

00:02:02 Belle

Yeah. 

So, did your time volunteering help develop your skills on a career basis or like have you used Discovery on your CV?

00:02:12 Ben S

Definitely, yeah, definitely helped me to develop my skills, like organisational skills, budgeting, like leadership as well, presenting. I had to do a few presentations. Yeah, one of them had to present to a lecture hall of students. Another time they asked me to do like a fundraising session. Yeah, and definitely using my CV, like every job I've gone for has always been my CV, still there now. And I think, yeah, they give me like a lot of relevant experience.

00:02:48 Belle

Is there any advice you can give to someone like wanting to volunteer with Discovery or?

00:02:53 Ben S

Definitely do it. That's #1. And I guess like don't be scared to get involved. I think, I mean, obviously everyone's really friendly in the volunteering sector anyway, but yeah, this is the place where you can feel like, I don't know, like gives you a sense of community and, I think I've already set like a place to develop, I guess.

And I think it's also like changed like what my view of my career would be as well. I think it gave me a vision of like I don't have to just work because I work in accounting. I thought I'd just go for like in a private accounting firm. But they opened my eyes to see that you can actually do something that's, you know, you can give back to the community and it's really worthwhile and just very fulfilling. So, I think definitely get involved and just see what opportunities that can give you.

00:03:45 Belle

That's amazing.

Just to conclude the interview then, if there was one word you could use to describe discovery, what would that be?

00:03:53 Ben S

I was thinking about this earlier when they were doing the speeches and I think it would be community.

00:03:59 Belle

Yeah.

00:04:00 Ben S

Because not only are you connecting with the local community and yeah, like obviously producing isolation for other people, but also you just feel like you're part of something bigger. And also, the other element of it is that you get to know other volunteers so closely, like I'm still friends with them.

00:04:19 Belle

Yeah.

00:04:19 Ben S

And it's been like, obviously I'm 30 now, so it's been years since I was at university. So I've definitely made friends for life. So yeah, and I would say community and the staff members are obviously so amazing as well.

00:04:28 Belle

Amazing.

Thank you so much for speaking with me. Thank you.