Semester 1 at university as a first-year can be an intimidating experience. As a Gold Scholar, there isn’t just ‘finding the right lecture theatre’ or ‘getting to know flatmates’ on the to-do list, but also a 50-hour volunteering requirement to plan and work towards completing throughout the year. However, as you are about to read, this is not a block but more an opportunity. Jumping straight into the challenge is no surprise given the drive of these students. We interviewed several of them to find out what they’ve been up to and what they’ve learnt from their new experiences.
Events
For Bonfire Night, Abdul volunteered to marshal the annual fireworks show at the Rec. This role involved setting up the event as well as guiding members of the public to ensure things ran safely and smoothly. He also assisted in the clear-up afterwards.
“The opportunity helped build my confidence in speaking to members of the public. It developed my skill of adapting my approach to meet their varying needs, whether that be where to sit or navigating their complaints. Connecting with such a wide range of people and watching the mesmerising final display definitely made the experience one to remember.”
Ayush volunteered 13 hours contributing to the behind-the-scenes logistics at The Race to Paris. This event saw 26 teams attempt to travel from campus to Paris without phones or money, requiring strong organisation and attention to detail to keep everything running smoothly.
“I recorded when participants arrived, logging important details like number plates. I appreciated the opportunity the experience gave me to bond with new people and fulfil responsibility.”
Supporting the Local Community
Sinead has dedicated the last 3 months to undertaking voluntary work at Bath Mencap—a charity that supports adults with severe learning difficulties. Fortnightly she has been assisting at their bowling sessions, aiding the adults with their mobility as well as just spending quality time chatting with them.
“The experience has both been great for providing me with transferable skills for potential future career paths involved with psychology, but it is also so rewarding to spend time with such positive adults who are some of the kindest and happiest people I have met. I really look forward to continuing to volunteer with them, as I feel I enjoy it just as much as they do.”
Beau has been volunteering weekly at a Girl Guiding Unit here in Bath, helping to run various activities for the ‘Rangers’ (girls 14-18 years old), providing a comfortable space for them to let off steam and talk about their lives.
“I am really enjoying getting to know the girls (although it does feel a bit strange to be on the leadership end, being only one year older than their age range!) and look forward to continuing to strengthen those bonds.”
Campus Contribution
Back on campus, Firuze has been volunteering as an elected academic rep for the psychology department.
“I’ve really enjoyed gaining insight into our course structure, collaborating with both staff and students to address concerns and ideas, and working together to make things happen. It has definitely improved my confidence in taking charge and nurtured new skills I will be taking forward into my career!”
Beyond Bath
The impact of VAR hours hasn’t been restricted to the confines of Bath. Katie has shared her skills and given her time to help her local orienteering club back home in Wales. She took the initiative to undertake social media management. Serving a role on the committee, Katie is the first person for the club to dedicate a position focused completely on running these accounts.
“As part of this role, I keep members up to date on upcoming events and celebrate their successes at competitions. I work on advertising campaigns for free community events for children and over 50s. This role has inspired my creativity as I use Canva to design the posts. Running the Facebook and Instagram accounts has involved answering queries and interacting with many users. As well as increasing my professionalism, I am proud of seeing the significant increase in the reach and interactions these pages are now receiving since I have taken over running them.”
The first-year Gold Scholars have racked up an impressive 568 hours of volunteering this semester. As we’ve seen, what those VAR hours look like is so different for every Gold Scholar, but the common thread is a shared sense of fulfilment and appreciation present in all of them. And this is only a snippet of the great work that’s being done, filling us with much excitement for what semester 2 will bring! Stay tuned for more volunteering stories and achievements from our Gold Scholars.
Respond
