My volunteering journey began with the Gaisce Award, which is like the Irish version of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. I worked with my local library, shelving books and helping out with kids’ events. I found that I really enjoyed it, with the highlight being the people I met along the way.
Between exam years, I looked around for opportunities to get involved with… pretty much anything! I stumbled across a leadership programme that involved a year-long collaboration with a local non-profit and figured I might as well give it a shot. As a team, we planned holiday events for a hospital specialising in the care of older people and military veterans. I was even asked to interview patients for a book the hospital was looking to put together to tell the stories of the patients there.
Unfortunately, this was in early 2020 and for everyone’s safety the project was put on hold indefinitely.
Fast forward to my time at Durham, and I was allocated Van Mildert College, home to Durham’s largest college outreach project, Young People’s Project (YPP)! After some initial hesitancy in first year, I applied to work on this project and Community Visiting Scheme (CVS) in my second year.
YPP had me delivering weekly sessions on teamwork and confidence in local schools and helping to run an incredible (if exhausting) three day residential where the young people came and stayed in our college! CVS had me connecting with local seniors, sharing chit-chat and laughter over tea and biscuits.
I enjoyed these projects so much that I actually starting working with the fundraising team to plan and deliver events in aid of our six college outreach projects.
Beyond the fun I had with it, volunteering has also taught me so much! It has honed my teamwork, communication, and leadership skills (to name a few), equipping me with the tools to succeed in any endeavour… or at least give it my best shot!
I was able to connect with Durham and the wider local community through my volunteering, travelling (admittedly not far) out of the university bubble and getting to know the area that I now call home a little bit better. From college outreach programs to university sports camps, Durham offers a huge range of volunteering opportunities.
To make the most of your experience, I would recommend choosing one or two projects that truly resonate with you and commit fully. This approach helped me to balance my studies, sports, and personal time while allowing me to throw myself headfirst into the projects I did get involved with, creating lasting memories and becoming some of the highlights of my time at Durham.
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