The University of Exeter voluntary organisation Community Action is spreading Christmas cheer and raising money for its projects this week with a range of festive events.
A stall has been based in the Forum since Monday and will be there until Thursday 5 December, encouraging students to place good deeds on a Christmas tree and take part in some ‘5 minute volunteering’ by writing cards for elderly and homeless Exeter residents. There will also be the opportunity to take part in a raffle with prizes including a six week personal trainer program and vouchers for the restaurants On the Waterfront and Cote.
The week will culminate on Saturday 7 December with a Community based celebration called ‘Together for Christmas’. This will involve local schoolchildren and elderly residents coming onto campus for a variety of festive activities and games. There will also be a performance from student musical theatre society Footlights as they preview their upcoming West Side Story show. The week will complete a successful term for the organisation with a number of new projects and a record-breaking membership of over 1500.
Lorna Girt, Community Action Christmas Week Co-Ordinator, said: “Community Action’s Cracking Christmas Week is the perfect way to get in the festive mood and kick-start the Guild’s Twelve Days of Christmas. In our raffle we have loads of fantastic prizes and our 5-minute volunteering campaign ‘Get on Santa’s Good List’ is all about spreading Christmas cheer through little acts of kindness and good deeds. Come and find us in the Forum!”
Student society Community Action is celebrating after signing up its 1000th member for 2013/14. Now at 1240 members, this shows a significant increase from the society’s total membership for 2012/13 which totalled 548. The increase in membership secures Community Action’s position as the largest society at the University of Exeter.
The Community Action student group, founded in Exeter circa 1968, has seen many thousands of students give their time and energies to volunteering projects that support local communities and those further afield. Currently, the society has twelve projects, working with a variety of sectors such as young carers, the elderly, the environment and sports education. Community Action works in partnership with local and international charities, developing weekly, seasonal and one-off projects for the benefit of people of all ages and backgrounds from across Exeter, Devon and, occasionally, overseas.
During summer 2013 Community Action volunteers hosted Summer Adventures – a fortnight of fun activities for young carers from Devon. Community Action worked with charity Westbank to offer youngsters aged 8 – 15 years respite from their daily challenges and responsibilities. At the same time, a number of Community Action volunteers were supporting KickStart Ghana’s St. Cecelia summer school, supporting pupils’ reading and coaching the school football team, Dynamo FC.
Students can find out more about Community Action’s projects by signing up for free on the Guild website. A weekly e-mail is sent out every Monday with full details. Applications for the summer projects will be sent out in November.
Students’ Guild VP Participation & Campuses Jak Curtis-Rendall says: “Community Action carries out brilliant work for the benefit of communities with students volunteering their own time alongside their hectic studies and other commitments. The achievement of 1000 members in 2013 simply shows how rewarding volunteering can be and I congratulate Community Action and the Activities & Volunteering Unit for creating a society that attracts such a strong following.”
Community Action Deputy Officer Simon Dewhurst explains the ways Exeter students can get involved in volunteering, enhancing their personal development and benefiting the wider community.
When you take the big step into University life for the first time, there are many things floating around your head. How will I survive without Mum and Dad? What will my flatmates be like? Where’s the best nightclub in town? I had similar thoughts when I embarked on my journey to Exeter but looking back on my time here it has been my experiences in societies that have stood out. In particular, being part of the University’s student led volunteering organisation Community Action has been a highlight. As well as helping out the local community it has improved my employability and allowed me to meet some amazing people. Here I give the lowdown on how you can get involved too…
Overview of Community Action
Image credit: Community Action
Community Action exists to provide an opportunity to volunteer, enhancing their development and benefiting the wider community. The organisation allows students from all backgrounds to make a difference during their time at University whilst embracing the unique personal benefits it provides. There are currently seven student-led weekly projects and two longer volunteering events held over the summer. Students can also plan and lead their own one-off project or work with local charities particularly close to them. Those wanting to push the society further forward can contribute at publicity and recruitment meetings. With over 30 committee members and 900 volunteers, you will never get a better chance to boost your CV whilst helping out so many people in the process.
Community Action Projects
Global Touch – Volunteers on Global Touch give essential support to students in Exeter for whom English is a second language through linguistic and pastoral support in classes at local schools.
SEA Project– The SEA Project is a mentoring and online service for local sixth form pupils. Volunteers provide one-to-one support with students whilst also running regular workshops at the school.
Kickabout – Kickabout is an exciting new project that gives children in the local community a chance to play some football on the weekend completely free of charge.
Students Achieving More (SAM)– Volunteers on the SAM project will get the opportunity to carry out a weekly session with young children at a local primary school. Activities include a range of educational arts and crafts that are fun both for the children and the volunteers.
Students Together with Elderly Patients (STEP) – STEP works with Exeter’s 60+ population to provide socialising opportunities through lots of fun activities, from bingo to Wii games!
Project Exe– Project EXE is a community project run for local young carers. The project leaders host a variety of different events and trips on a regular basis for the children to allow them to have fun and meet new people.
SWITCH– SWITCH is a weekly project that seeks to support socially isolated older people living in Exeter. Through a variety of fun games and tasty food, the sessions aim to provide the members with vital interaction and put a smile on their face!
Environmental Project – Regular projects allow students to explore Devon and help the local environment. This could involve tree-planting or wildlife protection.
Special Projects – One-off special projects are run throughout the year to cater to everyone’s volunteering needs. Examples of past projects include taking carers to a football match and renovating a local community centre.
Summer Adventures– A two-week residential project held each summer for young carers in the local area. This provides a useful break for the members whilst allowing them to experience a host of different activities.
International Project – CA also runs an annual trip to Ghana to help local communities. This provides a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit a new country and learn new skills.
Benefits of volunteering
The primary objective of Community Action is to give something back to the people in Exeter and Devon. Students often come in for criticism but CA aims to change that perception and build strong relationships with the community. This is evident in the weekly projects that are run as well as the support the organisation has provided with local events such as the Great West Run and the Respect Festival. Volunteering also offers so many advantages to those taking part. It improves personal skills such as communication and teamwork which in turn improves job prospects. The chance to be on a committee offers further development opportunities as it is similar to running a small business. In addition, being part of a society like Community Action is great fun as you get to take part in some amazing socials and meet so many inspirational and like-minded people. I am passionate about volunteering and truly believe that Exeter students are some of the most pro-active in the United Kingdom – let’s keep it that way!
How do I get involved?
The easiest way to get involved in Community Action is to join at the Fresher’s Fair and then come up and visit our office in the A&V hub. We will also be hosting a football tournament and bouncy castle during Fresher’s Week as well as further events during the year so look out for our Big Duck mascot and come and have a chat! Give volunteering a go as it is a truly life changing experience for both you and the local community. Remember that everybody leaves University with a degree but what makes you different?
Simon Dewhurst
For more information, visit http://www.exeterguild.org/societies/community-action/ or email Simon Dewhurst at sd320@ex.ac.uk. How important is volunteering to your university experience? Do you think the university should be doing more to encourage students in their philanthropy? Leave a comment below or write to the Comment team at the Exeposé Comment Facebook Group or on Twitter @CommentExepose.
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