BIG IDEAS FOR SOCIETY - WARWICK VOLUNTEERS

An article focusing on the work done by Warwick Volunteers

As part of our coverage of Universities Week 2011 and the 'Big Ideas for Society' day, we are focusing on the work done by Warwick Volunteers. Warwick Volunteers provides opportunites for both staff and students to give their time for a good cause and benefit their society. Here, we explain a bit more about the work that has been done with Warwickshire Children's Unversity and the Technology Volunteers.

‘Learning can be the satellite navigation to better places in life’, according to Ger Graus, Chief Executive of Children’s University, a national organisation that provides 7 to 14-year-olds with exciting and innovative learning activities outside normal school hours.

Fairy costumes, water filtration, and the nutritional deficiency of pirates all featured in Warwick Volunteers’ recent pilot project working with Warwickshire Children’s University to explore frameworks for translating Warwick’s academic excellence into inspiring and engaging learning programmes for young people in the local community. This work built on previous successes, such as Technology Volunteers, which combines creative activities, enthusiastic volunteers and academic knowledge to introduce young people to how they can be creators and not just consumers of technology.

Knowledge exchange is an important outcome of academic endeavour.

Knowledge Exchange

Knowledge exchange is an important outcome of academic endeavour. Funders of research are putting increasing emphasis on the need to demonstrate the impact of research activities. Whether it be informing public policy or developing technical innovations, the direct and immediate benefits of research are many and varied. However, the longer term benefits of less direct knowledge exchange activities may be more difficult to calculate, but should not be underestimated, according to Peter Rose, Manager of Warwick Volunteers:

‘There is a long history of students and staff from the University supporting local schools and community groups. Feedback from teachers and youth leaders consistently tells us that this work can have a transformative effect on young people, in particular those with little or no family experience of Higher Education. Introducing young people to a breadth of accessible learning opportunities delivered by “real people” from the University demystifies the world of academia, providing role-models and inspiration that influences young people’s life choices and aspirations.’

Funded by vinspired students, Warwick Volunteers’ pilot project with Warwickshire Children’s University sought to build on this experience to deliver inspiring, innovative learning opportunities to young people in Leamington Spa. The Chancellor of Warwickshire Children’s University is Sonia Blandford, Professor of Educational Leadership and Innovation in the Institute of Education, who explains:

‘The Children’s University is a marvellous platform for all children to raise their aspirations and achievements. The structured approach provides a motivational framework for children to develop and achieve.’

One strand of Warwick Volunteers’ project involved student societies delivering modules based on their areas of expertise. Engineers without Borders ran a programme about engineering solutions to international development issues, such as provision of clean water and emergency shelter. Theatre Studies students from Stage Arts Warwick (SAW) ran a module on costume design and make-up in which participants created their own fairy costumes based on A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

The second strand involved research students in delivering a multi-disciplinary module based on their areas of research. Led by Tim Davies, studying for a PhD in maritime history in the early-modern period, Practical Piracy used the theme of pirates to introduce a range of subject areas, including buoyancy, renewable energy, nutritional deficiency, life at sea and criminology.

The sessions received very positive feedback from participants, their families and teachers. Carolyn Lloyd, manager of Warwickshire Children’s University, commented:

‘This project provided a very different learning experience in the delivery and environment for children taking part in the activities. This resulted in an extra level of quality and depth of learning to children taking part in the activities, with schools reporting that they have noticed a significant increase in the confidence of the children.’

The success of the project, Peter Rose suggests, is due to the effective utilisation of Warwick’s natural strengths:

‘Warwick Volunteers is more than a traditional volunteer bureau that matches volunteers’ interests with community needs. We are increasingly looking for ways to link volunteers’ areas of study to practical volunteering activities, as this is a major part of the uniqueness of what Warwick has to offer the community.’

Technology Volunteers

This is not the first time that Warwick Volunteers has combined creative activities, enthusiastic volunteers and academic knowledge in this way. Technology Volunteers was established in 2008 by Margaret Low, Senior Teaching Fellow in WMG, as part of her own volunteering activities as a STEM Ambassador. Margaret has a keen interest in introducing young people to the idea that they can be creators and not just consumers of technology. Technology Volunteers utilises a number of high-quality tools such as Scratch, an interactive introduction to computer-programming. Teams of volunteers deliver workshops in local schools, combining the expertise of Margaret and her professional contacts with the enthusiasm and creativity of student volunteers to great effect, as she explains:

‘Through my existing contact with children I became aware that they often had ideas for games, animations and interactive stories that they wished to create on a computer, but weren't able to using the standard ICT materials they had exposure to in school. Wishing to encourage them to become creators using technology, rather than simply consumers, I investigated various software tools, including Scratch (produced by MIT).

‘In my role as a STEM Ambassador I ran software development sessions for teachers, using Scratch, but quickly realised that it didn't give them sufficient experience to bring it back to their classes. Local teacher Jean Bodycote and I developed classroom-based sessions and Warwick Volunteers provided a framework so that student volunteers could run them. Since these sessions happen in school, with the teacher and their class, they provide a common basis for teachers and pupils to build on; this gives a much surer foundation than the teachers alone can provide.’

These projects illustrate the positive benefits that Knowledge Exchange offers the local community. However, it would be a mistake to think that the benefits are all one-way. To successfully present complex information to an inexperienced audience, new thought processes must be applied that can provide as much learning for the presenter as for the participant. The presentation of material to new audiences, unadulterated by academic conventions, can spark questions and observations that bring new insights into what, for the presenter, has become routine and unquestioned. Student volunteers from Technology Volunteers commented:

"Being involved in the Technology Volunteers has helped me see the variety of things I can take part in and has really enhanced my learning experience at Warwick."

‘Being involved in the Technology Volunteers has helped me see the variety of things I can take part in and has really enhanced my learning experience at Warwick. It has helped me build up my confidence and reminded me of different ways to learn. It has also helped me become more enthusiastic about my degree.’

Complementing the work of academics

Involvement in these activities also complements the work of academics, as Sonia Blandford explains, ‘My involvement in the Children’s University is in harmony with my role as National Director for Achievement for All and as adviser to the CEO Teach First. The innovative approach to extended activities is an inspiration to all engaged in the enhancing children’s access to learning.’

Where learning enables navigation to new aspirations and potential, it brings great benefits; and the contribution that Knowledge Exchange activities can make to this is considerable. However, these Warwick Volunteers’ projects have shown that just as much learning can be achieved by those leading the activities as by their supposed beneficiaries. Perhaps Knowledge Exchange is not just an important outcome of academic activities, but a valuable component of the teaching, learning and research process?

Warwick Volunteers provides opportunities for students and staff at the University to volunteer in a variety of roles, within the local community. We have a range of different projects - some require a regular commitment, whereas others are flexible and allow you to give as much time as you are able to.