Teesside University Psychology student Hannah Barstow combined volunteering with studying whilst working towards her career.Hannah, from Middlesbrough, first became involved in volunteering at a hospital where she was working with adults. Her volunteering work helped her to realise she wanted go down a different path.Hannah, 27, who is mum to an eight-year-old son, said: 'I used to volunteer at a hospital to help with my degree, because ultimately, I wanted to enter a career within a medical setting. It wasn't until I worked on a few cases that I realised I wanted to work more with children, so that's when I found Changing Futures North East and I pursued that route.'Changing Futures North East is a Hartlepool-based charity which offers access to mediation services, mentoring to young people and children in care.Changing Futures were amazing and matched Hannah with a young woman and she has been her independent visitor since she started at Changing Futures in February 2015, when she was in the first year of her degree studies. An independent visitor supports a child in foster care or similar circumstances over two years to establish a positive relationship.'The most rewarding part of volunteering was influencing my young person. I have helped her to find something she enjoys in psychology. She's also taken an interest in hair and beauty. It's brilliant to motivate her and make her realise there are so many possibilities in life.  She is going into her second year of hair and beauty in September 2018’.Hannah added that her volunteering was not all about mentoring as a friendship has developed between the two young women. 'We go on days out, she's a big foodie so she loves to go for a meal and sit and chat with me for hours on end. She also enjoys horse riding and has dragged me along a few times.'She says it was hard balancing her time with study and looking after her son, but Hannah added: 'The benefit of volunteering for me at the beginning was to help along my career, but then it became much more rewarding. It has taught me to be selfless instead of selfish.I have now completed my degree and waiting to hopefully graduate in July 2018. I received my community supervision award which I am so proud of as well as my platinum certificate for the recording of my volunteering hours. I am now in employment as a support worker for Positive Individual Proactive Support and already working towards my senior support worker position. I have also gained a bank support worker position within the approved premises for the National Probation Service. I have also ended my volunteering positions to concentrate on my full time career, but I am still in touch with the young person who I supported at Changing Futures North East so that I am able to continue helping and encouraging her. I would recommend Volunteering to anybody.