We hope you all had a restful holiday and are ready for the upcoming semester! In the spirit of New Year's celebrations, we thought we'd get ready for the new year by setting some goals for the upcoming semester. Here's what our projects hope to achieve in the coming weeks:
LinkAges
My New Year's Resolution is to organise a tea party in February which will bring as many students and elderly residents together as possible! - Sam Jenkins, LinkAges coordinator
For several years, the LinkAges tea party has been a staple of Winchester Hub's Student Volunteering Week events. This event invites elderly residents and students to come along to an afternoon of fun, which usually includes a quiz, lively conversation, and of course, complimentary tea and coffee!
Be sure to look out for the LinkAges Tea Party 2020 during Student Volunteering Week! (10th - 16th February). As well as needing students to attend the Tea Party, LinkAges also need regular volunteers to get involved in weekly activities, which range from having a cuppa with our lovely groups in town, helping out with some great activities at our care homes, getting involved in sport or teaching someone how to use their PC and more.
To get involved in either of these opportunities, please get in touch with Sam, at [email protected], or visit our website to find out more.
Schools+
We are planning to work with Hampshire Police in recruiting volunteers for their Cyber Ambassador Scheme. This is an opportunity for students to visit local schools across Hampshire (from Basingstoke to Portsmouth) and run workshops for young people about online safety. - Kieran Morris, Schools+ coordinator
Schools+ is our volunteering tutoring programme to support and enrich the education of schoolchildren in Winchester, Basingstoke and Eastleigh. We provide full training for our student volunteers, who offer one-on-one and group tutoring sessions, as well as hosting homework clubs and extra-curricular activities.
Volunteering with Schools+ is a fantastic opportunity for students who are considering a career in education or youth work, and are looking for some extra experience.
Schools+ are currently looking for new volunteers, so if you think you'd make a great tutor, you can sign up here, or visit our website to find out more.
Woolly Matters
In Woolly Matters we are hoping to be make a variety of things to help out a few different causes including blankets for kittens and possibly little police bears that are designed for children who have to go to police stations as a form of comfort. We should also be able to give another donation to Trinity in late January which is quite exciting! - Lydia Ferguson, Woolly Matters coordinator
Woolly Matters is our on-campus knitting and crocheting group which each semester work together on projects to benefit local causes or individuals in need. Woolly Matters takes place every Wednesday during term time, 1-2pm in Medecroft 15. Join us for the first session of 2020 on Wednesday 22nd January!
Give It A Go
Our Give It A Go coordinators are still working on plans for Semester 2, but have discussed the idea of a collaboration with the Royal Hampshire County Hospital for World Book Day, perhaps in the form of volunteers reading to hospital patients.
Give It A Go organise one-off and micro volunteering events to encourage all students to get involved in volunteering, even if they are short on time!
Last semester, Give It A Go organised a group of volunteers to attend Surfers Against Sewage's clean up of the River Itchen at St Catherine's Hill. It was a great day for all involved, as we got to have a hand in keeping our local area free from litter!
If you'd like to stay informed of all the latest one-off and micro volunteering opportunities, then why not sign up to Give It A Go's mailing list?
Youth Theatre
I'm looking forward to a fresh start to the Youth Theatre! I'm hoping to see more growth and development in all the children, building their confidence and drama skills. I'm hoping to put on a wonderful performance by the end of the semester. I can't wait to get started with our team of volunteers! An exciting semester to come! - Carmen Dolores, Youth Theatre Coordinator
Our Youth Theatre project organise weekly drama and performing arts sessions to increase access to the arts for young people. Sessions are planned and delivered by students for children aged 7-11.
Youth Theatre can't run without volunteers. If you're looking for a fun way to gain experience for your CV or just to meet new people, why not sign up, or visit our website to find out more.
Social Enterprise
Our social enterprise project is continuing to run the Try It Awards in 2020, which is your opportunity to get funding and support to get your social enterprise idea off the ground!
Here's how it works:
1) Come up with an awesome idea for a social enterprise, and tell us about it in your application through our website.
2) We'll review all the applications we receive, and consider each one carefully, before making our decision on who receives the award.
3) The winner of the Try It Awards will receive up to £500 to kick start their social enterprise business, as well as practical advice and support.
Previous winners of the Try It Awards include: a dance school for children who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford lessons, sports activities for children in rural areas, and the a community networking scheme which brings postgraduates together to share knowledge through research talks and seminars.
Make sure to submit your application via our website in by Week 10!
If you'd like some help making your application, or to find out more, please get in contact with Liz ([email protected]).
Third Sector Opportunities
Charity Challenge
Also coming up this semester is the Charity Challenge! The Charity Challenge is a one-day consultancy event, where students will have the opportunity to learn about the challenges facing a local charity, and discuss practical solutions.
The Charity Challenge is a great opportunity for students looking to work in the third sector, and would like to develop skills in this area. Look out for the Charity Challenge in week 6 if you're interested in gaining valuable business experience to help boost your CV.
Social Innovation Programme
The Social Innovation Programme (SIP) is an opportunity for students to address real-life challenges faced by a local non-profit organisations, and act as external consultants to propose and implement an innovative solution to a problem.
Our current charity partners include: Winnall Rock School, WinAcc, Child Health International, Age Concern Hampshire, and St Johns Winchester.
No prior experience is required to join, as we provide full training.
Applications for the second cohort (starting in March) are opening very soon! Make sure you follow us on social media for the latest updates about SIP and our other projects (links below). Alternatively, you can find out more about SIP on our website.
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As well as these, we'll have lots more events and opportunities for you throughout the semester! To help us keep in touch, why not follow us on social media?
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