The benefits of volunteering with OUSA

Well it’s December already, which means TMA 01 has probably been submitted for most of us, and planning is starting on the next one. Like others, I am busy keeping up-to-date with reading, activities and assignment work, which is part and parcel of university life.

But I’ve also been involved in various activities as an OUSA volunteer. Requests for resources come through from students in secure environments, which I (as part of a team) search for, and I send links or documents through to the print warehouse to be forwarded on to whoever requested them. There were also a number of graduation ceremonies in various locations, and I was lucky enough to help out on a merchandise stall in Poole in Dorset. And I attended my first Faculty Assembly meeting as a WELS Faculty Assembly Rep, during which I was able to hear about different initiatives being piloted with The Open University, as well as being able to represent the student perspective.

The reason I’m telling you this is that I think sometimes we forget that we are all part of a large and respected University, as we don’t have the campus experience that exists in 'bricks and mortar' institutions. And distance learning can sometimes be isolating, and many of us feel a disconnect with university life.

This is where involvement with OUSA can be really beneficial. There are so many volunteer opportunities available that allow students to get more involved in – and connected with – the University. Volunteers and the OUSA-employed staff are incredibly supportive of new ‘recruits’, and the more you do, the more you get to know other people – which helps in some ways to foster a community spirit.

I didn’t start volunteering until over halfway through my degree programme, and I wish now that I had started sooner. It certainly helps develop your confidence and makes you feel part of something special.

I guess ultimately it is our University – it wouldn’t exist without new or continuing students. And being part of OUSA is a way that we can make our voices heard and help shape the future of teaching and learning.