Volunteering professional expertise at CRASH: “An experience you will never forget and one that is hard to find elsewhere.”

CRASH is proud to have a network of industry leading Corporate Patron companies who underpin every construction and refurbishment project the charity delivers for homelessness charities and hospices. View CRASH Corporate Patron companies.

Employees of Corporate Patron companies have the opportunity to volunteer their professional expertise on a CRASH project, whether that is a Quantity Surveyor who helps to understand the cost of a project, or an Architect who looks at possibilities to reconfigure a building. Donating professional expertise is a fantastic and rewarding way to support your industry charity.

Will Woodward, Project Director at Arcadis recently returned to the company after 12 years away from the business. On his return, Will is now volunteering his professional expertise as a CRASH Projects Advisor again. Let’s hear from Will about his experience volunteering at CRASH today compared to 2009, and what advice Will has for those with similar opportunities in the industry…

What made you decide to return as a CRASH Projects Advisor?

Working with CRASH was one of the most rewarding experiences of my whole career and I have always had a desire to work with the charity again. Coming back to Arcadis has afforded me many new opportunities, and I am thrilled that one of those has been to reconnect with CRASH again.

What do you remember about your last CRASH volunteering experience in 2009?

In 2009 I volunteered on a Crisis Intervention Centre in Central London and carried out a very traditional Project Management role, I lead a team of consultants that advised the charity on their planned refurbishment of tenant facilities. We worked with the charity throughout the project from providing design advice to contract/programme management right through to support with the completion & handover phase. It was the most personally rewarding experience of my career, to be able to make a small difference by deploying the skills you have developed at work is a rare opportunity and one I am very grateful to have again.

What’s changed the most since your last project visit?

So much has changed since my first involvement, from the number of Corporate Patron Companies working with CRASH to the role that Arcadis plays. One thing that hasn’t changed is the passion that all those involved have and the abundance of goodwill you encounter when you work with CRASH.

How did you feel when you attended your first homelessness charity or hospice with CRASH?

I was both humbled by the work charities across the country are doing every day to make a difference and energised by the opportunity I had to do my bit.

Have you found the volunteering helped with your career progression?

Indirectly I think it has underpinned everything that my career has become, working with CRASH helps you view your professional role and place in the industry through an entirely different lens and adds a sense of purpose that no commercial role can.

What has been your biggest achievement as a Projects Advisor? 

Compared to many my role has been fleeting, but the biggest achievement has to be helping charities invest wisely and garner support from an industry that is all too willing to help when given a chance.

What would you say to someone who is interested in volunteering their Professional Expertise at CRASH?

Embrace the opportunity, it will be an experience you will never forget and one that is hard to find elsewhere.

What 3 words would you use to describe your experience volunteering at CRASH?

Humbling, Fulfilling, Unique

Volunteering opportunities are reserved exclusively for our Corporate Patrons. If you’re from a CRASH Corporate Patron company and would like to find out more about the opportunities to volunteer on projects, contact info@crash.org.uk.