Volunteers Roll Up For The Do More Fair

“There’s nothing better than helping the community,” says Police Special Chief Constable Don Elliot, and that is a sentiment that our Do More Fair has at its heart.

Voluntary work plays a key role in our Enrichment programme along with learning new skills, and the range of activities possible was on full display for 2016’s Do More Fair. More than a dozen organisations came along to talk to the students about what they can do to further their lives outside of college, and those organisations joined the wealth of BSFC clubs and activities that could be signed up for.

From signing up for the Royal Navy Reserves to working with youth clubs or the disabled, and from learning new languages to mastering the guitar, there was no shortage of options for students looking at learning more about the community and themselves.

Former Sixth Form College student, Elizabeth Pennington, came back to represent the International Volunteering HQ, with whom she travelled to Uganda last July to help out in the local townships. Elizabeth, who now studies Performance for Stage, Screen and Radio at Sheffield Hallam, completed A Levels in Film Studies, Drama & Theatre and English Language in 2014. She believes her experiences in Uganda with IVHQ have helped her develop even further in her chosen field.

Elizabeth said: “I’m into acting and going to Uganda really helped my confidence and my ability to empathise with people. I’d say to anyone – jump into it. Don’t be scared. I was terrified but then I found it harder leaving Uganda than I did going. Don’t be afraid to learn new things.

Calum Forrest was another former student who returned after finishing his A Levels last summer, but this time as a trainee Police Special Constable. Calum studied Psychology, Law and Business but says he always knew he wanted to be a police officer: “Although you’re a volunteer in the Specials, you do everything that a regular officer does and have the same training and equipment. It’s a good way to get into the cadets and it’s been so rewarding and great for my confidence.”

Students had the opportunity to sign up for classes in Mandarin, German and British Sign Language, along with sports clubs, creative writing and web development just to name a few.