Rashad Issa in the UK
In this new blog series, I’d like to ask four questions to people from different countries, backgrounds, professions, and genders who have all one thing in common: volunteering. I hope you’ll get inspired by their journeys and take the leap into volunteering.
Notice: The positions, views and information contained published here are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily represent my views or opinions.
Rashad Issa is a Chartered Quality Professional. He is a senior business Leader, strategy specialist and operational quality, governance & assurance expert. He guides the development and delivery of robust operational strategies for ambitious, growing businesses. Rashad is the Quality & Business Improvement Lead for one of the leading benchmark providers in the shipping sector. He sits on the Board of Trustees of the Chartered Quality Institute and is one of its fellows. Having served a 2-year voluntary term on the Project Management Institute’s UK Board, he is also passionate about history and volunteers regularly for the Historic Royal Palaces.
How did you begin to volunteer?
It all started when I was 14 or 15 years old. A local charity was organising a one time festival in one of Lebanon's iconic 17th century limestone khans (an Inn for foreign traders) in the city of Saida, south of Lebanon. There was a buzz about the festival and the volunteers who wanted the festival to succeed. I still remember the experience. Roll on 15 years, I joined Historic Royal Palaces to volunteer at Kew Palace to help visitors from around the world understand how King George III lived in the palace in the 18th century. There is a sense of personal fulfilment I get from volunteering which I wanted to replicate in my professional world. I obtained my PMP certification as well as my Chartered Quality Professional credentials and I thought this is now a great opportunity to participate and support two institutes that play an important role in my career. Project Management Institute (PMI) were looking for mentors to help young professionals navigate through situations using the PMP standards and guidelines; while the CQI were setting up a steering committee to serve the professionals in London and bring a diverse portfolio of knowledge, talks, and networking events.
Why did you continue volunteering?
One has to believe in the cause they are supporting for the volunteering to be valuable. And I personally strongly believe in the work all the charities and institutes I volunteer for, do. Whether it is mentoring a young project professional, a quality specialist, or sharing a piece of historic information with someone interested in learning, the joy it brings knowing that I can make a positive impact is rewarding beyond words.
The other reason is the knowledge and experience I gain from volunteering. Mentoring a young professional has made my knowledge and experience better. Supporting individuals in different sectors and various contexts provides an extremely valuable avenue of self-learning and awareness that no classroom training can provide.
How has volunteering helped you in your career?
My professional volunteering journey started with no set agenda other than curiosity. I wanted to be part of the community and help support initiatives that will make a difference. Since then, I have grown a lot. I learnt a lot about different organisational contexts, about how other professionals define successes and what they see as challenges. It helped me become a better leader. I always enjoyed my career and work, but volunteering cemented my passion for the work I do.
Would you encourage other people to take up volunteering, and if so, why?
In a heartbeat! No matter where you are with your professional journey, get involved and volunteer. Trust me, you will reap the rewards.
