People attend university in the hopes of extending their knowledge in fields that they hold an interest. By gaining this knowledge of various subjects, they are specialists in the field and are able to assist around their interests. At Sheffield Hallam University, students are able to take a course in which they can go out into the work space, with the University’s guarantee of reliability, the course is called work-based project. Students are able to enter various places of work, such as schools, or in journalism, where they can assist in writing articles for specific companies.
Abbie Smith, a second year student at SHU, worked with children in Forge Valley, a school in Sheffield. Taking part from late January and continued until the middle of March, she states “I have learnt from it in a number of ways. One of these ways is through reflecting on the experience as I have gone along, as this has enabled me to learn more about the ways I can improve as an person and as an aspiring teacher.”
However, students are also able to enter different charity based work spaces, such as Grimm, or UpScribe, where the students are able to volunteer in aiding those in need, and can give something back to the community.
Parveen Vashisht, second year student, worked with the award winning social publishing project, UpScribe. Along with other volunteers she has worked with asylum seekers and refugees in order to assist in improving both their skills and confidence. UpScribe assists in teaching those in need to write, and their pieces are then published into a book that is sold, and the money put towards local charities and funding for the printing of later books.
‘The experience has been so rewarding, I love meeting so many people from different backgrounds and hear their interesting stories. I will be volunteering again next year, even outside of Work-Based Project.’ – Parveen Vashisht.
The project itself is based at the university, as part of the Arts and Culture volunteering group. Running two sessions a week at uni the project is also connected to the Red Cross, as they work with the Asylum seekers and Refugee’s based in Rotherham and Barnsley.
The project UpScribe, also has a Facebook page, where you can get into contact with both volunteers and the organiser, Liam Rogers.
