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Sadiah is 17, and is taking a year out after school to help her decide what she would like to do. Her year out is enabling her to experience two very different careers, and providing her with great work experience. She currently works half the week in a lingerie shop in Knightsbridge, and for the rest of the week volunteers at St Hildas East Community Centre in Bethnal Green.

'I'm not really sure what I want to do but I am really enjoying my gap year. I decided to see what retail was like, and I was keen to get to know west London, which was why I took the job in Knightsbridge. It's going very well, although it's totally different to the work I do at St Hildas.'

Sadiha had heard about St Hildas, and got chatting to the co-ordinator of the Centre who suggested she give volunteering a try:

'St Hildas is a community centre for Asian women, clients can come in for classes like yoga, exercise and languages. I've been helping out o­n reception and doing some admin for them. I'm getting involved in lots of different projects and its great because I'm getting to try lots of things. I speak Bengali, which has been really useful o­n reception, I have to call up clients and check that they are coming in for classes. I've also been using it for outreach work, where I go to see clients and encourage them to get out of the house and come to the Centre. I really like getting to know the clients and chatting to them.'

Sadiha hasn't decided which career path she will follow, although she is considering social work, as she has enjoyed the outreach work:

'I'm still not totally sure about what to do, but I think that I will go back to college in the autumn and study for my A-levels. I'm loving my volunteering at St Hildas though. Every day is different and being o­ne of the youngest volunteers there, everyone wants to talk to me and get to know me. It's made me realise that I am good at talking to people and helping them out.'