What two volunteer days taught us about connection

September 5th is International Charity Day, created by the UN to shine a light on volunteering and the impact it has on communities. At ActionRocket, everyone gets two volunteer days a year. What feels like a small perk on paper has turned into something bigger for our team and the people they spend time with. From classrooms to food banks, we’ve found those two days give back in ways we didn’t expect.

Creativity meets compassion: Building confidence one workshop at a time

When we talk about giving back, it's easy to think in abstract terms but the reality is beautifully concrete. Take Eve, our designer, who chose to spend her volunteer days running creative workshops with school children. "Seeing their confidence grow as they explore new ideas and express themselves reminds me how powerful creativity can be in building skills, connections, and joy," she shared. "Giving my time in this way has shown me that even small contributions can spark something meaningful in others."

This isn't just feel-good storytelling. When our people engage in meaningful work outside the office, they return energised, inspired, and connected to a sense of purpose that translates directly into their professional creativity and problem-solving.

The importance of community: The reality of local need

Sally, our operations manager, discovered just how transformative two days can be when she volunteered at Uttlesford Food Bank. What started as a simple desire to help became an eye-opening experience that challenged assumptions and revealed the true face of food poverty in the UK.

Over two days, she sourced essential items like tinned tomatoes and shampoo, learned the intricate logistics of food distribution (did you know Tesco pays £2.66 for every kilo of food donated through their collection points?), and spent time in the office coordinating Christmas parcel deliveries. But perhaps most importantly, she connected with over 50 clients and discovered that many food bank users are NHS workers who have to choose between transport to work and groceries, or people on statutory sick pay struggling to cover basic costs.

"People who use food banks are not who you might think," Sally reflected. This kind of insight the human story behind the statistics is exactly why giving our people time to engage with their communities matters. It builds empathy, broadens perspectives, and connects us all to the reality of the world we're working to improve.

Why two days makes all the difference

Volunteering can be seen as a way to build stronger communities. We’ve seen it build stronger people too. Two days might not sound like much, but the ripple effect is huge.

Our team comes back with fresh energy, new perspectives, and sharper skills. From adaptability to communication to empathy. It’s proof that giving a little time outside the day-to-day makes a big difference inside it.

International Charity Day is about encouraging people everywhere to give back. For us, it’s also been a reminder that when you create space for volunteering, everyone wins – the community, the team, and the work that follows.

We’ll keep making time for it, because those small acts of connection often spark the biggest ideas. And if you’re curious to see how we’ve marked the day this year, you can take a look over on our Instagram to see how things have got a little creative in the studio.