This week is Student Volunteering Week! Ever wonder what you can do in your spare time to make a positive difference in your community? Volunteering is a great way to enhance your university and increase your skills.
See how current and past Brookes students used their time to make an impact on the communities they volunteered in:
Emillie Reed, BA English Language and Communication: I volunteer for Jacari, a charity that provides free one-to-one tutoring for disadvantaged migrant and refugee children who have English as an additional language. This has been an exciting opportunity and has encouraged me to develop leadership skills that will be invaluable for the future, and I have also been able to work with the great, supportive team behind the organisation.
We always need more volunteers so if you are interested, please visit their website: and apply today!
Eva Litso, BSc Psychology: I have been volunteering as an English tutor for students who speak English as an additional language for a year now. I organise one to one sessions with a student every week and I help them improve their English skills, in terms of vocabulary and grammar, and become more confident in speaking and expressing their ideas without fear of being judged. Helping students succeed in education is of paramount importance to me and it makes me feel rewarded as I feel like I am making a positive change in young people’s lives. I am also volunteering as a phone buddy for people who may be feeling isolated due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Helping them realise that they are never alone.
Eloise Raffill, Brookes graduate: During my studies at University I volunteered for the Oxford Hub, a social action charity working in the local community. I was a 'Kids Officer', working with vulnerable young people experiencing learning difficulties and issues in their personal life. I volunteered initially to enrich my university schedule, being unaware of how rewarding I was going to find it. The feeling of personal fulfilment by making such a difference to vulnerable, young lives is like no other! It has been the driving force for motivating my further career aspirations into the social sector - my want to support lives and give back to society.
Take a look at the Volunteer Centre webpages to find out how to get involved with volunteering or to book a volunteering 1 to 1 chat session, which runs on Wednesdays and Fridays from 12 noon to 3.00pm.
You can also read about Student Volunteering Week activities on the Student News webpages.