Volunteering in extreme contexts

Author: Dr Sarah Louise Weller, Director of Research and Enterprise

My research focuses on how women navigate male-dominated environments through the lens of extreme volunteering - from disaster zones to Antarctica. It’s in these high-risk, high-stakes settings that powerful stories of identity, resilience and community emerge.

What makes my work different is that I didn’t just study these environments from the sidelines - I joined in. When the 2023 earthquake struck Turkey, I deployed with Serve On, a UK disaster response charity, to Adiyaman near the Syrian border.

The devastation was overwhelming, but amid the trauma, I also witnessed something profound: the power of volunteering to build community, restore dignity and create meaning, both for those in crisis and those responding.

"You can be anything you want to be. This simple idea led me to speak with 2,000 schoolchildren about gender stereotypes, but my journey to that moment began far from the classroom - in the ruins of a Turkish earthquake, as the only woman on an international search and rescue team."

Sarah Louise Weller, Director of Research and Enterprise

Sarah Louise Weller Director of Research and Enterprise

Redefining who belongs

I’ve worked with so many remarkable women breaking into male-dominated spheres - like the Antarctic Fire Angels, the first all-female emergency services team to ski to the South Pole. Their mission wasn’t just about endurance; it was about visibility and possibility. They wanted girls to see themselves as strong, capable and limitless.

Together, we brought that message to 2,000 children across Bristol schools: no job is off-limits because of your gender. Volunteering becomes not just a service, but a platform for cultural change.

In the Philippines, I worked with a group of female volunteers responding to emergencies and supporting education, health and rehabilitation efforts in communities with limited resources. In a country where economic opportunities are scarce, volunteering becomes a source of empowerment, building confidence, leadership and community bonds.

Whether in Filipino towns, UK rescue teams, or Antarctic ice fields, a consistent theme emerges: extreme volunteering creates space for inclusion and transformation. I’ve followed women carving out a place for themselves within these environments and gained some incredible insights into how volunteering can provide a way into male-dominated spaces, unlocking professional development, leadership and social belonging.

Culture, place and community

I’ve shared these insights with UK government departments, contributing to discussions on harassment, inclusion and leadership. This research isn’t just academic - it’s informing policy and practice to build equity and opportunity into the heart of public service.

When I stood in front of those 2,000 schoolchildren and told them, ‘You can be anything you want to be,’ I wasn’t offering a cliché - I was passing on a truth I’d seen written into the lives of women in crisis zones, in snowstorms and in every corner of the world where volunteering becomes a radical act of hope.