Christian Aid Gap Year Stories

Voluntary Action Leeds

VA-L is a brilliant resource for volunteering opportunities in Leeds. I found my position with Leeds Children's Circus through them last year, and I figure they'd be a great starting point for finding the organisations best suited to my current needs.

They've just opened a new volunteering centre in the middle of town, so rather than send an email (which can be a bit informal and a difficult way to communicate a lot of information effectively) I'm going to pay them a visit tomorrow.

Voluntary Action Leeds

Oblong Community Resource

Oblong also host English classes for speakers of foreign languages. I-D-E-A-L. I had a bit of experience doing this in Peru, but it was for young children which is completely different from what I'd imagine formal teaching to be like. We had minimal input from our supervisor and since we were all completely inexperienced our workshops, whilst being helpful for the few people that turned up, were done through guess-work. The opportunity to gain experience in this sort of learning environment in invaluable, I think.

Ideally in 10 years time I want to be teaching English in a developing country. To do this I will most likely have to complete a TEFL course - acceptance on which is based on experience and commitment. Working with Oblong will undoubtedly help me to develop the skills I need to take this further.

Classes only run once a week, and last an hour and a half so it's a small commitment, but hopefully if I'm able to get involved this can lead to other voluntary opportunities and help to build up an impressive portfolio for a career in international development. I've emailed them to register my interest, fingers crossed!

Artist Rooms

Global Xchange Video

Next Volunteering Project

I have applied for Global Xchange. YEYAH.

Apparently I'll be hearing from them in the next 14 days. I have crossed every conceivable part of myself. I want this so bad.

Something that I didn't realise initially is that a big part of the programme involves pre-departure fund-raising of at least £600, something I've never done before. While this concept scares me a little I think, if i get it, fund-raising would make for good FMP work and Viscom has a whole range of experience in this sort of thing, it's be a great opportunity.

Exhibition

As part of A.V.C. and as a follow up to my time spent in Peru, I am planning on curating my own exhibition. It will be held in the college and will showcase photos from my trip (and hopefully those of other volunteers).

I had spoken to Terry before leaving in the summer and was under the impression that I would have the canteen, however further correspondence reveals that the main exhibition space has been double booked (quel suprise, established artist is chosen over a student, shocking concept). So I'm going to have to work around that. Also inconvenient - two volunteers in the other Peru group are studying photography at uni and so spent, I assume, have some awesome photos. I've emailed them both, one hasn't replied and the other is less than enthusiastic about getting involved. So at the minute it looks like I'm relying solely on my own photography and that scares me a little, 'cause I'm not gunna lie to you, I'm no photographer.

But it's not all bad, because I figure that the whole point of the exhibition isn't centred on amazing photography; it's about giving people an insight. Do the photos really need to be glamorous? Surely the whole thing will have more impact if the message is 'look, I'm not a photographer, but you need to see this..'? I think it could work.

And I've spoken to Terry again, I'm working around the planned exhibition in the canteen by putting up two temporary screens. That provides me with 8 hangable sides, and I can always exhibit in the Viscom corridor simultaneously with signage directing people up from the canteen. (I have considered using the VC corridor as my primary space but it just doesn't get enough attention. How am I meant to raise awareness of development issues if nobody sees it?)

Bleurgh. Enough word vomit.