Spotlight on Josh

April 6, 2016

Whilst only a recent guardian with Dot Dot Dot, Josh has already launched himself into his volunteering. This is what he has to say about his time with us so far:

‘Living in London is insanely difficult; I’ve had to move out of the city once already because my shoebox flat-share was far too expensive. I was sleeping on my sister’s couch in Essex for a month while I furiously tried and tried to get back into the city. I hated it. No job was able to give me the hours or pay to afford a flat-share in London, I wanted to work, but nobody would give me the time. Thankfully during my time living the city, I was recommended to Dot Dot Dot by the Artistic Director of the Nursery Theatre.

I’d been volunteering for The Nursery since September of last year after seeing some of their shows at Edinburgh, and as an experiment I started doing admin for them. As we worked together they began to see the benefits of having volunteers and, I’m glad to say, now have more members of their creative team, allowing the theatre to grow dramatically.

I’ve also taken up the role of Assistant Producer for Word On Health, a weekly health report broadcast on 83 community radio stations across the country. It’s a pretty demanding role, but honestly it doesn’t feel like a drain in any way. I think that’s the thing about volunteering, if you love the project and the people, you can spend all day with them and not call it work.

My days usually start around 4 am and all together it can seem like a bit much; I’m working for at least 14 hours with maybe one day off a week, if it’s a show night then I’m working 20. In March alone I’ve volunteered somewhere between 80 and 100 hours and I’m thinking more and more that it’s because I love the work I’ve been given the opportunity to do. I thought when I moved to London I’d have to get a 9-5 terrible job that pays the bills and suffer through it, but thanks to Dot Dot Dot, I can make a real difference with my time.”

We are really impressed with the dedication Josh has shown to his volunteering and to having a positive social impact. Thanks for all your hard work!

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Dot Dot Dot stands for property guardianship done well

We are a social enterprise which houses people in buildings that would otherwise be empty

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Testimonials

“It’s a really cool place – I can use it to work in like an office, and there’s already a great community.”
Pete, Whitechapel
“Dot Dot Dot has been a perfect springboard to the city.”
Tom, Croydon
“Being a property guardian with Dot Dot Dot means you do more than simply live somewhere. Instead, because you volunteer you really become part of the community. The best bit is knowing you’ve made a difference and have had a positive impact on those around you.”
Tim, High Wycombe
“There’s an instant community feel here which is great. Looking forward to organising movie nights and board games nights with the other guardians.”
Caitlin, Whitechapel
I feel strongly connected with my guardian neighbours. I am getting to know other parts of the community too, through my volunteering.
Jon, Wycombe
“As a property guardian with Dot Dot Dot I save £450 per month compared with what I used to pay on rent – that’s a significant difference.”
Josh, Poplar
“It’s great because I often work from home. Because it’s a huge building you have you’re own space, but if you want to hang out with other guardians you can.”
Sarah, Whitechapel
“Dot Dot Dot has helped me get to know people around my area and it has been a great introduction to volunteering.”
Lamonte, Sutton
“I saw the advert for Dot Dot Dot and was intrigued to find out more. Initially it was the low cost that attracted me but I also thought the social enterprise side of the business was really cool. I liked the fact that being a guardian with Dot Dot Dot encouraged me to give back and make me do something good with my free time.”
Heba, High Barnet
“When I started investigating guardianship options, Dot Dot Dot stood out because of the emphasis on volunteering and contributing to the local community.”
Alison, Bow