JLGB Champion Named JVN Volunteer Of The Year
We are enormously proud to announce that our most senior volunteer leader, Adam Shelley, has been recognised for his extraordinary dedication to JLGB and has been named the winner of The Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation Volunteer of the Year at the Jewish Volunteering Network 10th Anniversary Gala Dinner.
Adam joined the JLGB as a boy and never left. He has been an adult volunteer youth leader for 20 years and in January 2017 took on the most senior core activities volunteer role in JLGB. His national volunteer role covers England, Scotland and Wales and involves managing hundreds of volunteers around the country from Glasgow to Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool and Greater London. Since January, Adam’s impact has been transformational. As well as motivating, coaching and inspiring young people, he has energised the volunteer workforce. In addition to leading this year's hugely successful 'Emoji' Summer Camp, Adam sits on the Finance Committee and has been a trustee of JLGB for over 6 years. Prior to that he was the volunteer manager for the Hertfordshire region, taking care of all the groups in the area including Borehamwood, Bushey, Radlett and Shenley for 4 years. Adam also led the team responsible for the resurgence of JLGB Borehamwood Juniors group for 8-11 year olds, doubling it to make it the largest Jewish youth group for that age group in Hertfordshire. Adam dedicates a minimum of 4 hours each day, 7 days a week of voluntary time to JLGB. How he fits it in alongside his home life with two young children and being a Senior Partner in an accountancy firm we don’t know. We would like to extend our thanks to all of Adam's colleagues at Sobell Rhodes for their unwavering support.
JLGB President, The Lord Levy said:
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of all our charities and our senior volunteers are the heartbeat of our community. At such a young age, Adam has done more than most people do in a lifetime. He stands shoulder to shoulder with some of the Jewish community’s most stalwart volunteers. He is an unsung hero who helps lead hundreds of inspirational JLGB adult leaders who week in and week out are empowering the next generation. I cannot think of a more fitting recognition of his commitment, dedication and sacrifices than winning the Wohl JVN Volunteer of the Year Award.”
“I am absolutely thrilled for Adam. No one deserves this award more. Adam gives so much of his time to ensuring that JLGB continues to grow, that each of our adult volunteers is happy and supported, that our young leaders are involved and empowered and given the training they need to develop their skills and our participants are having the best time! Adam manages to make each person he meets feel important and special. No task is too difficult and everything is done with a smile. I am extremely proud to work with Adam and on behalf of all the volunteers in JLGB want to thank him for everything he does for us.”
“A huge congratulations to Adam! For me Adam is someone I look up to as a leader and I'm so happy that he has won this award, especially after working with him this past year and seeing his passion for being a leader and his love for JLGB itself. Adam is one of those people who is always there when you need a mentor or guidance and he has really inspired me to want to be an adult leader. It is clear to see how much he appreciates the young leaders within JLGB and how much he does to inspire each and every one of us.”
“This Wohl JVN award is an absolute honour to receive but I simply could not fulfil the volunteer roles that I do without the amazing support of my family, work partners at Sobell Rhodes, and of course the JLGB team of adult volunteers, professional staff and young youth leaders. This award is just as much for my volunteer team as it is for me. JLGB is an organisation that focuses on personal development, peer leadership, Jewish identity and transforming the lives of young people. From a young child through to becoming an adult volunteer leader, JLGB has continued to develop who I am, as it has done for countless others, and it is always an honour to give back to the next generation, just as my leaders did for me – the youth of today are our community's future and they have so much to offer!”
