17 February 2010
Volunteers celebrate their contributions to Sheffield
With National Student Volunteering Week taking place next week (22-28 February 2010) children from local primary schools are set to benefit from a series of schemes being launched by students at the University of Sheffield.
The week was established in 2001 to raise the profile of student volunteering. The theme for 2010 is `Inspiring futures; connecting communities´, and will highlight the benefits of student volunteering to the private, public, voluntary and community sectors.
During the week, SheffieldVolunteering, based within the Union of Students at the University of Sheffield, will be initiating three new volunteering programmes in the local community. Schools volunteers will be starting their placements in schools across the city. Their role will be to provide support to the teachers, in particular with literacy and numeracy. The scheme aims to provide pupils with student role models to inspire youngster´s interest in their work and further education.
The Lego Club, which was established in December 2008, is celebrating its success by expanding the programme to work with two new schools. The project brings together parents and children twice a week to encourage imaginative play and interaction within families. Having proved to be a huge success in Firs Hill Primary School, student volunteers will now set up similar programmes in St Catherine´s School and at the Broomhall Homework Club.
Students will also support four homework clubs in Burngreave during the week, via taster sessions. The sessions are designed to let students and pupils get to know either, giving the pupils role models of other young people studying. It is hoped that these sessions will raise the educational achievements of the pupils and encourage them to think about their future, in an informal environment.
Tad-Song Kho, a Volunteer on the Lego Club Project, said: "The response to our project has been really encouraging as our venue has always been bustling with parents and their overexcited kids. The project was everything that I had expected and much more. Although this project involves going out as early as 8 a.m. in the morning, spending the next half an hour in a room filled with kids´ laughter brightens up the rest of my day. It has also been great observing the chemistry between the children and parents getting better week after week. It has been truly a unique experience and a fruitful one as well."
Stella McHugh, Manager of SheffieldVolunteering, said: "This week provides an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of organisations and members of the community that rely and benefit from volunteer support. We are constantly looking to expand our student initiatives, and this week see´s local primary schools benefitting from three new events, aimed at raising aspiration and attainment.
"Our student volunteers play a vital role in the local community. Without them, many initiatives across the city would not be possible. As well as promoting active citizenship amongst the student body, the programmes we run help to raise pupil aspirations, support local charities, and provide social and educational opportunities for the wider community." Notes for Editors: SheffieldVolunteering is based at the University of Sheffield´s Union of Students. Last academic year, through SheffieldVolunteering, 1,310 volunteers supported 133 local community groups, charities and schools. Volunteers work with the homeless, refugees, the elderly, young people and others living with disabilities, learning difficulties and disadvantage.
For further information please contact: Lauren Anderson, Media Relations Officer, on 0114 2221046 or email l.h.anderson@sheffield.ac.uk
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