STUDENTS and employees of Canterbury Christ Church University and representatives of local volunteering organisations came together on Wednesday 5 May, to share their volunteer experience. The so called Volunteering Forum took place in the new CCCU library building Augustine’s house.
“Over the past three years the government has put money into universities specifically to promote volunteering. So we’ve been trying to build it into the student’s studies rather than just seeing it as an additional activity,” said Philip Poole, Director of Learning, Teaching and Counselling unit at CCCU.
During the event students and lecturers talked about their projects and how the volunteering has helped them and others.
“It’s been a great experience. Not only from the CV point of view,” said Vlad Cealicu, Computing student, who has developed a volunteering data base for the university.
“There is a lot you can learn in school but you also need to learn to interact with people. It is totally different to put what your teachers have thought you into practice,” added the 24-year-old who has recently started a job as a web developer in a local firm.
Desislava Vazharska, second year Law student, has been volunteering for HMP Canterbury since December and she said: “The environment there is not just helpful, not just friendly but you can find something like a second family there. These are people you always can trust not only in relation with your career. Those people will always be there for you.”
The main challenge that Christ Church University faces is to reach more students and convince them of the benefits that volunteering has for them and for the community.
“We offer a volunteering passport which formally acknowledges the amount of volunteering you’ve done which is great for the CV. We also use the student radio to do periodic reports on volunteering activities. In addition, we have a summer fair where we celebrate students’ contribution and all the organisations give away their own awards,” said Mr Poole.
It seems that all the effort has not been in vain as the number of student volunteers has increased enormously in recent years.
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