One of the main reasons I chose to take part in the SOS programme was my curiousness of the work and how we could be of help to many different people from various backgrounds. Knowing that it was the first SOS programme to be held in the UK, this made my curiousness for the programme greater. Before attending the SOS programme in 2007, I felt that the experience would develop my faith and broaden my understanding of the work we can do to help those in need and the programme achieved these aims amongst many others.

I would definitely promote the SOS experience to others, as it helped me broaden my faith, self-belief and the belief in the good of others. The SOS experience was an exciting but hardworking 10 days, but with the support network of the leaders and the participants, I felt that the experience could not have gone better. I could not pin point a best part of the experience, as it was the whole experience that made it a truly fantastic one with the team building games and tasks bringing us all closer together, the hard work at the different sites promoting our belief in ourselves and others and the many times we have laughed as a group whether it was in the early mornings, late at night or on the mini-bus coming back from a hard working day.

I will never forget this experience and the friends that I made over the 10 days as being part of that team created many memories that I will always remember and that have changed many people’s lives.