Where are you currently working?
I currently work for Look Ahead Housing and Care, a large social housing provider in London and the South East, as a Graduate Trainee. I complete placements in different business areas including Strategy, New Business, Housing Management, Development plus operational placements in hostels and floating support services working with homeless, mental health, youth, substance use and learning disabilities customers.
What useful skills and experiences did you gain as a volunteer?
I gained experience of working with loads of different types of people - from teachers in schools, to young people and external service providers. The experience I gained of working with the homeless has been invaluable as I have tried to carve out a career in this field.
The experience of giving presentations, holding discussion groups etc that I gained when volunteering with the VSU Marketing Team and the Book Club Project has also been really useful as it is a crucial skill transferable to practically all jobs.
Taking on a project management role with the VSU has also been useful as it helped me to demonstrate an ability to manage people, coordinate long term projects and solve practical problems.
How has volunteering helped you in your career so far?
I definitely wouldn't have got the job I have now if it wasn't for the volunteering I did with the VSU. Volunteering has helped prove that I have a vested interest in my career field. Every time I have completed a job application or attended an interview I have always referred back to the volunteering I did whilst at UCL.
What would you say to UCL students considering whether or not to volunteer?
It's definitely worth doing. In the current climate, when even the brightest of graduates can find it difficult to get work, volunteering can just give you that edge in your interviews and job applications. It shows that you are a rounded person and gives you the opportunity to develop and demonstrate skills that are transferable to the workplace.
But honestly, that's not the main reason I would recommend volunteering. The best part about volunteering with the VSU is all the great people you will meet. Volunteering gave me the opportunity to meet so many different people, try out so many different things and my whole university experience was greatly enhanced by getting involved with the VSU.