Moulding Future Talent!

Lex helping a student

Hey! I’m Lex Rogy and currently a 2^nd year student at Kingston University studying International Business.  I have just completed a 5 week student-led volunteering project running an afterschool clay workshop for children ages 11-12, which I organised myself, with the support of Jemma Houghton, one of the Volunteer Coordinators at KUSU Volunteering.

My project was to teach pupils how to make clay models of their own faces, as well as encouraging them to use different textures, such as beads and feathers, as decoration.

My project took place at The Hollyfield School in Kingston, which was helpfully within walking distance from my flat (although KUSU reimburse any volunteer travel expenses incurred)! I volunteered an hour a week and loved seeing how involved the pupils were with the project as often wanted to stay longer after the session. The pupils worked really hard and their finished models looked great.

Why did I do the project? Well I had a lot of free time this year at university and thought, “why not get involved in volunteering” as something extra to do with my time. Doing a business degree doesn’t allow me a lot of time to be creative, but art has always been something I have been passionate about. Volunteering and leading on this project therefore let me explore this interest, as well as inspiring the kids to be creative too! I really enjoyed the responsibility of teaching and getting involved in arts and crafts again, but also seeing how much the pupils enjoyed this project was also very fulfilling.

Students from The Hollyfield School

Volunteering is so rewarding, not only for your own benefit, but for others too. I have been involved in quite a lot of volunteering and it’s great to see how my input, small or large has impacted individuals. I have found it is also a great way to develop a large variety of your skills and expand your interests.

Certainly after I have finished my placement year I plan to get involved in student-led volunteering projects again; I enjoyed the responsibility of independently running classes, but in the future I hope to do so on a larger scale!