Volunteering whilst at University
After the previous blog post in which we met just a small fraction of the volunteers here at Magdalen Street, it was clear that several of our volunteers also attend university.
As a university student myself, I always receive the question “Does it not take up a lot of your time?” or, “You work, volunteer and go to university? Do you have much of a social life?”
The short answer is yes; I have time for all of the above. And, it is clear that others do too. Through this post I wanted to uncover why people choose to volunteer whilst they are at university and why it is such a valuable thing to do during your degree.
For myself, I wish I had started volunteering a lot earlier within my degree because it has made me realise what I want to develop as a career after I graduate from UEA. Until meeting Emma (at a careers fair held at the uni) I had no idea that you could volunteer in so many different areas, to my ignorance I just had this vision that you would sort through donations and then be on shop floor selling them.
Although this is crucial to our shops work, there is SO much more that it offers.
As an English Literature student I’m often writing essays and it is nice to put the skills that I have learned and developed throughout the years to make the blog posts as engaging as I can. It’s using the skill of processing general information from Oxfam sources and turn them into an appealing writing format for you, the reader, to appreciate. You can probably imagine that consistently writing academic essays can be quite tedious but being able to write posts like this one and engage with people on our social media sites, allows an escape from that type of writing. It gives me something away from my day-to-day uni life and I love it.
The misconception about volunteering is that you have to commit your whole life to it, which is not the case at all. All they ask for is an hour of your time, if you can do more – great. If that’s all you can spare - they aren’t going to turn you away. It’s what you do with that hour that is so valuable to them. My role doesn’t always require me to be in the shop, but as long as I check up on the sites regularly, keep them updated and consistently share up-to-date information then I am doing my part in helping end poverty.
Similarly, when I asked Georgia questions about her time volunteering at Oxfam, she also mentioned that volunteering was almost a “break away” from uni life.
She went on to explain that: “Being a student, sometimes you get stuck in a study bubble but it’s good to break away and mix with a range of people. I come in one morning a week and rifle through the book piles that often come up to my hips/waist, we get so many! There’s something for everyone – I love literature and that’s why I stick with books. But if you love fashion, help out with clothes (I’ve seen designer stuff come in on a regular basis!!) or if you love a chat, try out the till!”
“My favourite thing about Oxfam is the people I have met during my time here; it doesn’t matter what your background is or your age, you can become great friends with anyone. I love coming to Oxfam because everyone always has a big smile on their face – Emma and Wendy are so welcoming, June is the loveliest lady, Hans has amazing stories to tell, Pauline is the most caring and equally hilarious lady I know (she helped me learn how to tie a bandana for a pirate costume – her skills are limitless!) Taehun has become a good friend, Ben, Trevor and Adrian always help me out…and those are only some of the volunteers who I have bonded with! There are many more! There is always someone to enjoy a cuppa and a biscuit with in the kitchen. I’m always laughing and look forward to going in on a Tuesday – even if I have to carry heavy boxes of books it’s a therapeutic place to be.”
Bianca, Maisie, Mandy and Ruby, who are also UEA students and volunteers, have also mentioned how valuable it is to your CV. Time at university can go very quickly and before you know it you’re released into the big, wide world of jobs. Volunteering is a great component to your CV and depending on where you volunteer the skills you acquire during your time there can be put to further use in your future job and career.
I believe though that the most valuable part about volunteering is knowing that you are giving back in some way, but enjoying what you do whilst doing it. I’m constantly on my phone but if me posting about an item we have on Instagram gets recognition for a sizeable donation to Oxfam, that only takes 1 minute out of my time scrolling through my own Instagram feed.
OR fancy going to a festival during your summer break? You can apply to volunteer with the Oxfam Festival Shop via the online platform: https://oxfamapps.org/festivals/festivals/
There really is something for everyone, depending on your interests - so why not volunteer whilst at university to experience something different during your time here?
Written by: Cerys Rees
Written by: Cerys Rees
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