During your time at university, you may wonder what will come next. Many of us are trying to work out what path we want to take and how we can gain relevant experience. This article will talk about one thing we can do to strengthen our position after graduation, volunteer work.

My volunteering journey

During my first year of university and my first year living in Brighton, I knew I wanted to gain some experience and see a bit more of the city. Looking for a productive way to spend my time, I volunteered with Together Co, a loneliness charity based in Brighton.

Volunteering with Together Co involves being matched with a scheme member who may be more isolated from the community, be that because of age or disability. My role was to spend an hour a week either talking on the phone with or visiting the scheme member in person. Phone calls involved making conversation, talking about her week and listening to any problems she may have. When I visited her in person, we would go for walks, go to the shops, watch TV and chat.

I found the experience really enjoyable, especially seeing the positive impact I had on someone else. It also helped me gain the confidence and interpersonal skills that have helped me succeed in my current job as a maths tutor.

The benefits of volunteering

Volunteering has many benefits, including:

1)      Skill development: engaging in volunteer work allows you to acquire valuable skills relevant to future careers.

2)      Flexibility: volunteer opportunities often offer flexible schedules, accommodating the busy lives of students with commitments such as studies and part-time jobs.

3)      Fulfilment: contributing to meaningful causes and helping others can provide a sense of fulfilment and purpose.

Finding the right volunteering opportunity for you

There are many charities in Brighton where you can volunteer, for example, at the Community Base, British Heart Foundation and Mind.

You can also volunteer on campus such as with the Buddy Scheme which also is a way of meeting other people and making new friends.

If you’d rather volunteer from home, there are also opportunities online, with, for example, Childline.  

With such a variety of opportunities, there’s sure to be one that will interest you. Find out more about volunteering on the Student Hub.

The Spirit of Sussex Award

Volunteering is also recognised by the Spirit of Sussex Award, a recognition program celebrating your extracurricular and voluntary achievements. You can earn points by participating in various activities such as part-time work, volunteering, and attending events. Points accumulate towards Bronze, Silver, or Gold awards, which are presented at the graduation ceremony.

Volunteer work not only benefits the communities we serve but also enriches our own lives, offering invaluable experiences and skill development. Whether it's lending a helping hand in person or contributing online, the impact of volunteerism gives us the skills for future careers and helps shaping us into compassionate individuals.

Tugce studies Psychology with Neuroscience. She enjoys going for walks in nature and attending dog-walking society at uni.