"At the end of the day, I can think 'I've made a positive difference"

Life’s too short to spend it doing things that drain you.

That belief sits at the heart of why people like Mike Cannon choose to volunteer, not because they have to but because it genuinely lights them up. As Mike puts it, if you’re working in a job (or giving your time to something) that doesn’t excite you or spark passion, then what’s the point?

Out next Volunteer's Week story is from Mike, who, after retiring from the police, Mike found himself at a crossroads.

In 2020, while working at a gym with a coach who had previously worked with Growing Resilience in Teens (GRIT), he heard stories about the challenges young people are facing today and how that organisation was helping.

“I was taken with the stories he was telling me about the young people he was working with and how they were changing,” Mike explains. “I thought, right, this sounds fantastic.”

What started as a desire to raise money for a charity - doing a climbing fundraiser - soon evolved into something deeper: a hands-on commitment to supporting young people through volunteering.

After initially being introduced to GRIT through a friend, Mike started volunteering as their boxing coach. Mike’s approach to working with young people is simple; meet them where they are, then bring them together.

Using the discipline and curiosity he learnt while working in the police, Mike created sessions that were engaging (and exhausting!) enough to get young people moving, whilst connecting the coaching element of GRIT's method to give them a safe space to share.

GRIT is a North Hertfordshire charity that support young people struggling with their mental health and wellbeing by offering some practical, energetic movement, namely boxing, along with a space to share and shape their thoughts and feeling through tailored coaching sessions.

“Once they flop on the bean bags, they’re there. They’re ready. They’re listening.”

Young people need structure, challenge, and space to feel safe. When those elements come together, something shifts and they begin to open up.

In addition to Mike's support with boxing, he also supported the fundraising team with going to events to promote the amazing work GRIT do and raise awareness of the service.

He had really become a hugely valued part of the team and it was not long after this, that GRIT offered him a position as a coach and the rest is history.

Now, in addition to offering his time for fundraising and support, Mike helps to run their weekly GRIT Programme; a 90-minute afterschool workshop that ties boxing in with coaching, in a small group programme of young people aged up to 16.

For Mike, the GRIT programme isn’t just another commitment - it’s the highlight of his week.

“I genuinely look forward to Thursday,” he says. “When they all come in, it’s brilliant. And when they all go, you can just see they’ve had a buzz.”

Sometimes, the impact is obvious in the smallest moments - young people asking to stay longer, wanting to do just one more activity, or leaving with smiles and energy they didn’t arrive with.

That’s the power of a positive environment built on enthusiasm, consistency, and care.

There’s a shared understanding within the GRIT team that energy matters. When coaches show up passionate, present and invested, young people feel it.

"I believe all people should be involved with volunteering," Mike shares, "It helps to build confidence, skills and if you can help out, why wouldn't you? It shows us that the importance of all being part of something bigger than us and that by working as a team, we can make change."

And in this case, it couldn't have started without Mike initially offering to volunteer and his interest to create a positive change in young people.

"At the end of the day, I can think I've made a positive difference."

Volunteering, when it’s aligned with purpose, doesn’t just change the lives of the people being supported, it changes the volunteers too. For Mike, it’s proof that doing what lights you up can make all the difference.

To see our opportunities to make a difference to the young people in your community, please head here.