What group or organisation do you volunteer with?
Team Up, a Union society.
What is the purpose of Team Up and what does it hope to achieve?
Team Up believes that all young people should have an equal chance of reaching their full potential regardless of their background. Our volunteers, who are students at university, go to local schools to tutor pupils once a week, or run tutoring sessions at Imperial on Saturdays in order to inspire and empower pupils to reach their goals. We also work with sponsors to provide personal development opportunities with graduate recruitment departments for our university students.
What activities do you undertake in your volunteer role as President of Team Up?
As president I am in charge of making sure that everything runs smoothly. From running recruitment of both school and university pupils at the beginning of the year, to making sure everyone has had the training that they want and need before we begin. Then, I oversee the day-to-day running of tutorials and liaising with the school officer team to deal with any issues. I am also involved with arranging social events for the tutors, to create a strong community of members who can support each other. I will also be organising enrichment activities for the pupils to capture their imagination and get them excited about what they are learning.
What motivated you to start volunteering?
Essentially I wanted to make a difference. I looked at all the opportunities that I’d been given growing up and I wanted to help give them to someone else who wouldn’t have had them otherwise. The frustration of having the talent and ability to do what you want to do but not having the confidence or support to go out and do it motivated me to help, so that they can get where they want and should be.
Why did you choose to volunteer with Team Up?
Team Up was still a very new organisation when I first joined but I was completely won over by the enthusiasm and dedication of the Imperial students involved. This energy made me think this was a society that was going somewhere and was going to make a big difference. Every year we are growing and collecting more of these people - more of these inspirational role models that do amazing things.
What has been the most memorable moment of your volunteering experience?
Getting an email from one of my pupils at the end of my first year tutoring telling me how well she’d done in her exams. Just seeing how far she’d come, and how much more confident she was in her studies was the best feeling!
Why would you recommend volunteering to other Imperial students?
Team Up volunteers have the opportunity to work in the education sector whilst building confidence and gaining excellent teaching, team work & communication skills. All our volunteers start with a wide range of experience so you don’t have to have tutored before, but tutoring with Team Up will give you the opportunity to explore teaching in a fun and dynamic environment where you will meet other like-minded, passionate students and help pupils in the process.
