Name: Lucy Stenson

Course: FdSc Hearing Aid Audiology Year 1

Volunteer Role: Course Rep

"I get an enormous sense of achievment from being able to help others"

What are your main duties and how do they benefit others?

Collecting feedback from my fellow students and conveying it to the tutors and course leaders. Raising any collective issues the class has to the appropriate tutor or signposting as appropriate for individual issues brought to my attention.

What have you enjoyed most about volunteering?

The chance to do some good, particularly offering a way for some of the quieter more timid students to have an opportunity to feel like their voices can be heard.

What skills have you learnt and used during your volunteering?

It is particularly challenging trying to engage the students in conversation when it is needed to be done indirectly through email and messaging etc due to this being a distance learning course. I think I would have been able to gather more feedback if I had more opportunities to talk in person with my peers but the nature of this course made that difficult. I only came into doing the role later in the academic year and just before the current health crisis hit so it has been kind of a “baptism of fire” but I have tried to use my role as rep to help as much as possible, conveying information to and from the tutors and my fellow students and I think this has helped somewhat.

What inspires you to volunteer?

I get an enormous sense of achievement from being able to help others. People often tell me I’m quite “motherly” and am always trying to take care of people which I take as a huge compliment! I think this is the underlying reason for my inspiration to volunteer.

What is your favourite volunteering memory?

Just the kind feedback I have had from some students and my course leader. Their words of encouragement and praise have really helped me to do the job to the best of my ability and made it feel worthwhile.

Why do you love volunteering?

Again, I get an enormous sense of worthiness and achievement from the opportunity to offer a helping hand to others. Caring is in my nature so this comes so naturally to me, as was pointed out by some of my fellow students!

What are your future career aspirations?

Unfortunately I have had to withdraw from the course recently due to unforeseen personal circumstances but in the short time I have been a rep I feel like I have gained some valuable experience which I’m sure can be adapted to benefit any future career path I may take when I am able.

Do you have any last thoughts or comments?

I would like to say how very supportive and great my coordinator Toby has been. He has always been happy to help and advise me in this role, always approachable and welcoming and kind - I can’t imagine anyone could possibly do the job better than he does!