Volunteer of the Month
Marie talks about the benefits of volunteering, her experiences, and trying her hand at a sport for blind war veterans…
When and why did you become involved in the Sports Volunteer Programme?
I became involved in the programme at the beginning of my second year, because I saw the advertisement in the Gym and thought it would be a great opportunity to get some volunteering opportunity.
For my degree I have Events Management modules and I thought it would be good to gain some practical skills.
What does an average week as a Sports Volunteer involve?
There is no ‘average’ week, it depends on your involvement. Some events are one off others find place on a weekly basis, but no week is ever the same and the activities can vary from playing football, to coming up with an Olympic sport or planning fundraisers for sports relief.
What is most rewarding about being a Sports Volunteer?
It’s really great to see when people are enjoying a session/activity or discovering talents they never knew they had.
It’s always nice to see that the work as a volunteer is appreciated and makes a difference.
What is the most enjoyable thing you have done as a Sports Volunteer?
The most fun was probably playing goalball as part of the training session for the British Blinds Sports. Goalball is a game invented for war veterans that lost their sight and it is now a Paralympics sport. We had to play it blindfolded and it was a lot of fun to play and watch!
Would you recommend the Sports Volunteer Programme to other students?
Definitely! I would recommend everyone to get involved. It’s a great opportunity to boost you CV, meet new friends, gain life skills and most importantly have a lot of fun!
You can also gain qualifications such as first aid courses or coaching licenses.
Chris Hay
published on: 10th March 2010
