In conjunction with Student Volunteering Week, the Bristol PLUS Award team held a panel event where a brilliant panel of student volunteers shed light on the holistic benefits of volunteering.

Looking to start volunteering but not sure how to get started? Dive into this blog to learn about the key takeaways from our panellists.

Our panellists included:

• Aditya Verma – Socio-Legal Studies (MSc)
• Dinara Shaimakhanova – Education (PhD) 
• Charmaine Sew – International Social and Public Policy (BSc)
• Rowan O’Clarey – Mathematics (MSci) 
• Ione Howells – Environmental Policy and Management (MSc)

---

What experience do you have with volunteering?

The panellists talked about their diverse experience with volunteering, from working with international humanitarian organisations such as the Red Cross Society or the NHS, to volunteering with non-governmental organisations in other countries. Ione has done campaign work with Youth for Nature, a non-profit youth-led climate mobilisation charity.

Some panellists used their network with the University of Bristol to springboard into volunteering opportunities. Dinara has volunteered with Global Lounge’s Language Café, while Rowan has organised and delivered popular pub quizzes for student societies. Charmaine has experience with Bristol Hub and has worked with Borderlands to instil belonging in refugees and Asylum seekers in Bristol.

Panellists in the hot seat

Each panellist was asked to describe volunteering in one word, and here were their responses:

When asked about the tangible benefits of volunteering, here is what each panellist had to say:

1. Meeting new people and learning from others

Ione benefited greatly from networking with others with shared interests. This helped her make connections with experts, who could provide insight into her area of research and greatly benefited her dissertation.

By volunteering with the Language Café, Dinara learned new languages from her peers and even learnt new facets of her own language from the individuals she taught.

2. Learning about personal identity and discovering purpose

Coming from a professional teaching background, Dinara found that volunteering allowed her to discover a new part of her teaching identity. She learnt how to adapt to this new role and to share her passion for language as a volunteer, rather than a professional.

3. Developing skills

Many panellists spoke about developing skills such as problem solving, people management, communication, and public speaking. Rowan believes volunteering has set him apart from other applicants when job hunting, as it demonstrates soft skills complementary to his degree.

4. Being challenged

For Aditya, volunteering pushed him to open up his mind to new possibilities about his future career. Charmaine shared a similar experience, finding that volunteering grounded her to the realities of the world and pushed her outside the student bubble.

How has volunteering helped shape your career path?

Ione pointed out that volunteering opportunities may change your mind regarding your future career path and the skills that you would like to develop.

For other panellists, volunteering has helped solidify their interests in their chosen career path. It has been an opportunity to gain additional experience and demonstrate skills to future employers.

How do you look for volunteering opportunities?

All panellists urged the audience to put themselves out there and reach out to their network – with Aditya encouraging attendees to stay persistent if this process feels hard to begin with. Charmaine and Rowan suggested contacting volunteering groups through email or Instagram based off your interests, especially if you have an idea on how you can contribute to their cause.

Dinara and Ione both pointed out that the University has plenty of resources and opportunities for students to get involved with volunteering. For example, looking at student-led volunteering projects at Bristol SU or volunteering with the Global Lounge.

---

Inspired to start volunteering?

• Check out the newly-launched Bristol SU Volunteering Hub for a database of local volunteering opportunities.
• Reflect on the skills developed through volunteering by completing your My Skills self-assessment.