Today, over 200 individuals with learning disabilities from the South West came to the University of Exeter for a day of fun activities.
Organised by Exeter students alongside MENCAP and the Exeter Gateway Centre, the Exeter Experience Day aimed to relieve the burdens of having a learning disability by providing a chance for individuals with a learning disability to relax and have fun.
(from left) Exeter Experience Day Project Managers, Amy Garner, Abigail Chui and Elisabetta D’Addario Image credit: Abigail Chui
Volunteers organised a creative and varied schedule of workshops for the guests including arts and crafts, dance, sports and cupcake decoration. The day ended with a disco and raffle draw, the proceeds going towards the Exeter Gateway Centre.
MENCAP is a national UK charity that works in partnership with people with a learning difficulty. Calling themselves “the leading voice of learning disability”, they aim to support and value those affected by learning disabilities, as well as their families and carers.
The Exeter Gateway Centre is a local MENCAP centre where South West residents living with a learning disability can come together to socialise and engage in a variety of activities.
Amy Garner, Exeter Experience Day Project Manager, recently explained the importance of the event in Exeposé: “It is so important for the university to create links with local communities; we have the skills and vibrant ideas to really boost the profile of some charities and make a difference to the lives of some of our local individuals.”
Niklas Rahmel, an Exeter student volunteer taking photos for the event, told Exeposé: “It’s been a great day, lots of activities – great engagement by all the volunteers. Everyone’s having fun!”
Project Manager at Exeter Experience Day Amy Garner talks about why students at Exeter need to be doing more to help the wider local community.
It is very easy as an Exeter student to forget about the outside world. Campus-based, we can end up spending literally all day on campus pretending to do work in the library and drinking in the Ram, having little to no interactions with any outside beings. Even the news can seem a little unreal as Exeter turns into our own little oasis, protected by a barrier from the outside. Earthquake in Thailand? The stuff of movies. Fluctuations in the exchange rate? Just words in a textbook. A local fundraiser for the retirement home? Barely registers on our radar.
“It is so important for the university to create links with local communities; we have the skills and vibrant ideas to really boost the profile of some charities and make a difference to the lives of some of our local individuals.” Photo Credit: Exeter Experience Day
However it’s not that hard to get engaged. I know I spent the first two years of university life entirely wrapped up in my own thoughts, barely dabbling with Amnesty letters and throwing the odd few coins in the charity buckets I passed. It was far too easy to ignore the outside community and live my own little life. However, for my last year I decided to give back to my community and get involved in a project I really believe in, and I finally feel like I’m doing something rewarding.
I’m not going to preach to you and expect hours of dedication to fundraising and campaigning. Most high profile charities require huge amounts of time and money, and quite frankly, time is limited as a uni student. However, why not consider work in the local community? There are so many good local causes, it would be easy to give something back to the city that puts up with us running round town drunk after a Timepiece Wednesday. It is so important for the university to create links with local communities; we have the skills and vibrant ideas to really boost the profile of some charities and make a difference to the lives of some of our local individuals.
I am project manager for an event to be held at the University of Exeter on 19th October, called the Exeter Experience Day. Held in conjunction with Mencap and The Exeter Gateway Centre, the day is designed to provide learning disabled individuals in the south-west with a fun day out where they get the opportunity to try activities they wouldn’t normally get to try, and interact with others of a similar background. We have an amazing array of activities planned from tennis to creating a giant mosaic. There will be bunnies, nail painting, penalty shoot-out, a magician and much much more. Our guests are already looking forward to the day, and it is groups like The Exeter Gateway Centre that help support learning disabled adults and provide a safe place for them to get together and have fun.
There is scope for all varieties of student to contribute, not only to this but to charity in general. We come to university to get skills, and those skills can be applied to great effect in a volunteering sphere. Business students might help a charity reduce its costs, and sporty students can provide coaching. Drama students can provide entertainment workshops, and media students can facilitate creative productions. The point is that volunteers consistently surprise themselves with what they can offer, and also with how much the experience means to them.
It’s not just charities like The Exeter Gateway Centre that could benefit from your help – many local charities could do with the innovative ideas of students and our motivation to make a difference. If you would like to help out in the local community, speak to the Volunteering department at university or take a look through the local newspapers. If you would like to help support learning disabled individuals from the local community, get involved and volunteer for the day!
Amy Garner
For more information Email the team at exeterexperienceday@gmail.com. Exeter Experience Day are also raising money for the Exeter Gateway Centre selling raffle tickets. Check here for more details. Do students at Exeter do enough to help their wider local community? Leave a comment below or write to the Comment team at the Exeposé Comment Facebook Group or on Twitter @CommentExepose.
Applications are currently open for University of Exeter students to apply for the University Community Impact Challenge, 18th October-mid-December.
The Students’ Guild is working in partnership with Morgan Stanley for the second-year running to provide first and second-year students with this exciting opportunity.
During the Challenge, successful students will work with local Exeter charities to help address particular needs and provide genuine results for the local community. They will receive guidance from senior Morgan Stanley managers and develop their ability to project manage and deliver results.
They will also be supported by the Guild’s Activities and Volunteering Hub in using their experience to become key figures in connecting students to the local community and bringing awareness to social issues.
Image credit: Eat That Frog CIC
This year’s charity partner is Eat That Frog CIC an organisation which works to help people move forward in their lives through individualised courses, activities and events.
Managing director, Ian Powell said of the project: “To work with Exeter Students’ Guild and Morgan Stanley is a wonderful opportunity for us to help a wider range of people in the city to identify barriers in their life and explore ways to overcome these. We look forward to introducing our student collaborators to the different approach of a community interest company in meeting social objectives identified by local needs analysis.”
The project is facilitated by Three Hands, a company that works in corporate responsibility, bringing together businesses with local communities.
Project Manager Mary Kunnenkeril says: “We are pleased to be working with the University of Exeter Students’ Guild for the second time and have lined up a really engaging project, which will give the students a real experience of the social needs in the community, whilst also bringing tangible benefit to the partner organisation.”
To find out more and to apply for the programme, please visit the project website.
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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