At Move the Masses we have many students who volunteer with our Move Mates Projects
We love their enthusiasm and motivation to help others and be involved with their new communities
Student volunteers have come from all kinds of courses – Counselling, Psychology, English Literature, Ethics, Chemistry, Politics, Nursing and Law to name but a few – and from undergraduate to PHD level. Volunteering with Move Mates provides them with the opportunity to gain valuable skills and experience, as well as reaping the many other rewards which volunteering brings.
At Move Mates we have been lucky to have students volunteering with us as one-to-one walking buddies, group walk leaders, administrators, fundraisers, photographers, blog writers and helping out at events. Some even take on more than one of these roles! All volunteers with us undergo a DBS check, require a character reference and complete our comprehensive online training before volunteering. We host monthly volunteer socials, a weekly virtual tea break and ongoing training opportunities so that all our volunteers feel supported and a part of our friendly volunteering community.
Students also come to Move Mates to complete university work placements. We are always impressed with their commitment and communication skills, especially as they are lone-workers and, therefore, need to be self-motivated and proactive in their approach to the work they do.
“What I like about volunteering for Move Mates is that it is such a simple thing that anyone can do, but it makes a real tangible difference in a person’s life. Moreover, I can actually see how the person’s mood improves as the walk progresses and that’s a very rewarding feeling. I got involved because I liked the idea behind Move Mates, it just seemed like a good fit for me, since I love going on walks and I also care about people’s mental health and wanted to make a difference.”
Agata, Volunteer Move Mate (and student)
