In the rush to fill our CVs with work experience and accomplishments, there often seems to be little time left for what matters: giving back. And ,what better way to volunteer than by getting involved in our local community, right here in St Andrews! Volunteering isn’t just another line on your CV; it offers valuable life experience and empathy that will stay with you long after university. When I first arrived here at St. Andrews, I had a hard time finding volunteer opportunities, which is why I’ve compiled a list of ways you can get involved, so that you don’t have to seek them out!
Supporting the people in our CommunityÂ
In my opinion, this is one of the most rewarding ways to get involved. Interacting with new people, fostering relationships, and taking the time to get to know them can be incredibly valuable and fulfilling. The organization, Families First has many opportunities to do exactly this. They support children experiencing a range of learning, social, emotional,111 and health challenges, particularly from families facing financial difficulties. Volunteer opportunities include one-to-one befriending with children, as well as individual or group support for the parents and carers. Through this organization, you’d have the opportunity to volunteer a few hours each week and build valuable connections with families across North East Fife. Rather than simply gaining work experience, you are giving your time to people who can genuinely benefit from it.
Giving Back to our Environment
Working to maintain the beautiful scenery around Fife is another fulfilling way to give back, and there are a couple of opportunities to do so here in our small town! The St. Andrews Environmental Network is a charity working to reduce CO2 emissions and promote sustainability in our community. By joining their organization, you can take part in a range of projects. One of these is the Community Garden which aims to restore a garden and donate produce to the community. Volunteers are currently working on creating their own compost, ensuring the garden is accessible to everyone through raised beds, and encouraging wildlife, and pollinators. Another project is Beach Wheelchairs, which helps make our beautiful beaches here at St. Andrews accessible to people with mobility issues by offering wheelchairs with specially designed wheelchairs that can be used on the sand. These are just two of some of the many projects that the St Andrews Environmental Network is working on, and their events and activities are so easy to get involved in!
Another environment-focused opportunity is an organization you’re probably already familiar with: Transition at the University of St. Andrews. Their St AndReuse initiative is likely something most of us have taken part in: a weekly pop-up that sells used dorm supplies and clothing for affordable prices. But Transition does much more than St AndReuse. Additionally, they have volunteer opportunities for gardening as part of their community food-growing project, as well as initiatives such as Smarter Travel that encourages more sustainable transportation through services such as bike repairs and carsharing.Â
Giving Back Through Our Shops
I love the many charity shops in our small town, so why not volunteer at one and help support the causes behind them? Volunteering at a charity shop helps raise money for various charities and encourages people to buy second-hand. Some of our shops around town include Oxfam, Cancer Research UK, Salvation Army, and many others. Volunteering can involve sorting donations, organizing stock, merchandising and interacting with customers. Of course, these are all skills that will help you in your future career, but they are also opportunities to meet people and spend time supporting a cause you care about.Â
It doesn’t take a lot to volunteer. Just a few hours of your time each week and an enthusiasm for helping others can make a difference. As university students, it can be easy to be caught up in lectures, societies, readings, applications, and all the things we have to do to prepare for our future careers. Volunteering offers something that goes beyond the resume: the opportunity to connect with people we wouldn’t usually cross paths with, and the chance to feel passionate about the work we do. Volunteering doesn’t have to be some massive commitment; simply giving your time to connect with the community and making St Andrews a little better while you’re here makes a difference.