Anna, 23, "CSV gave me experience to see if I wanted to be a Social Worker"

Vicky, 19, "I’d like to be a Clinical Psychologist. Dealing with pupils with behavioural problems is definitely going to help with my career."

Emily, 22, “Volunteering full-time helped my university application. I couldn’t have been given a place on the course without it.”

Laura, 24, "Social Care experience was needed to gain access to the Social Work course and I gained it through CSV."

Philip, 19, "I want to be a Primary School Teacher. The new skills I have gained from volunteering will help me connect with the children I’ll be teaching in the future.”

Anna Collings (23)  found that “volunteering with CSV gave me the experience and perspective I needed to successfully apply for my social work course.”

Anna says “I graduated from the University of Exeter in 2006 with a BA in Drama and wanted to take a year out of education and volunteer in the UK living away from home.  CSV would give me experience to see if I wanted to be a social worker, would allow me to take a year out of studying, be based in the UK and not have to pay for it either.

I spent 9 months as part of a team of volunteers with a wide variety of service users. It was a challenging role but I know I did make a difference to people’s lives.  As a result of my volunteering I definitely developed my communication and negotiation skills and really learned to listen.  On a practical level I am now confident with my organisational skills and educational support skills such as note taking.

I am currently studying an MSc in Social Work and my goals are to work in Adult Services Management within the next five years. “

Vicky Adam is a 19 year old student from Chester and a CSV gap year volunteer for Befriending Plus, which mentors pupils at Larbert High School in Falkirk.

“I help pupils with behavioural problems as well as students struggling with foreign languages and maths. Many of them see me as a friend, but it is a balancing act so that I keep the authority. It can be difficult calming down students if they start behaving badly, but they can also be really kind. On my birthday some of them baked me a cake, which actually made me cry.

I am going to Warwick University to do a psychology degree and I’d like to be a clinical psychologist. Dealing with pupils with behavioural problems is definitely going to help with my career.

Volunteering has helped with my confidence and ability to relate to different people. Volunteering has been fantastic and is something I would definitely recommend to others to give a go.”

Emily Craze (22) volunteered at a day centre for adults with learning and / or physical disabilities.  She believes that “volunteering full-time helped my university application. I couldn’t have been given a place on the course without it.”

"Once I found out about CSV I decided that by getting experience in a social care setting it would help me to realise if I wanted to train to be a social worker.  I was based in a day centre for adults with physical and /or learning disabilities and I helped people to achieve things they may not have thought they were able to do.

I can honestly say volunteering with CSV helped me to know that I wanted to work in a social work related area.  The 12 months practical experience was a pre-requisite of the course I decided to apply for and I am now studying an MA in Social Work.

It was a big challenge moving somewhere where I knew no one and learning to interact with colleagues from very different backgrounds to myself but my achievements were numerous and I definitely learned to interact with people from all walks of life.  I found I was able to lead groups and motivate and inspire people.  My interpersonal skills and team-work skills were greatly improved."

Laura Yates, 24, spent a year as a home-based respite carer, providing personal and social care for individuals so that their full-time carers could have some time to themselves. She is studying for an MA in Social Work.

“After I had graduated from a Sociology degree, I became interested in training to become a social worker. Social care experience was needed to gain access to the social work course. Therefore, I decided to gain my experience through CSV.

I took over the role of the main carer, and helped with things like making meals, making sure they took their medication on time, and toileting. Although most of my time was spent being a companion, and I spent a lot of time talking, laughing, watching TV and listening to music with the cared for person.

I hope that I enabled carers to relax knowing that I was looking after the person they loved. I know my role was really appreciated by the carers and I received many small tokens of thanks. I became good friends with some of the families I worked with and still receive letters, cards and photographs from them.

I learnt so much from my experience as a CSV, much of which I owe to my supervisor who encouraged me in my work and training. I attended many training days including first aid, abuse awareness and dementia care. This placement provided me with the chance to see how people with disabilities cope with everyday challenges, and it has opened my eyes to the hard work, love and dedication that is needed to care for someone.

After a year in Canterbury I have many stories and memories that I’ll never forget. During our time off my housemates and I got to know the sights, sounds and pubs of Canterbury very well. During my year I made many close friendships with other volunteers, visited new cities and just simply enjoyed my time as a CSV!!

I am currently half way through an MA in Social work and enjoying every minute. Without my experience as a CSV it is possible I wouldn’t have been accepted on the course. I still use all the knowledge, experience and training I received during my time in Canterbury and I know it will continue to be useful throughout my career.”

Philip Botting, aged 19 and from Folkestone, is a CSV gap year volunteer helping a student with a rare central nervous system disorder to complete his education.

“I support a student studying for his Masters at the University of Sussex and we live in university accommodation together. I wanted to volunteer in the UK before I go travelling around India. I help with the cooking, cleaning and getting him up in the mornings.

It has been a challenge to get my head around care work and I have never done anything like this before. Getting to know someone else so well has been the best thing and we have a lot of fun together.

I am going to the University of Manchester next year and I want to be a primary school teacher when I graduate. The new skills I have gained from volunteering are going to help me connect with the children that I’ll be teaching in the future.”

Carmen Lok aged 21 and from Beverley, East Yorkshire is a CSV gap year volunteer in Downham Market, Norfolk helping adults with learning difficulties.

“I work at the CSV centre on the Vocal project, which helps give adults with learning disabilities skills they need to cope with life. The centre provides adult education placements for them and they go on to volunteer in local farms, charity shops, allotments or befriend the elderly in residential care. I help out with the life skills sessions at the centre. The skills they learn enable them to become independent as possible in their lives.

I also support three young women with learning disabilities who are living away from home for the first time. I help them with their shopping, preparing dinner and I also teach them how to budget. The idea is that we help them lead independent lives.

I finished university last summer and was studying psychology at the University of Lancaster. After University I decided I wanted to do something a bit different. I have volunteered before but with children, so this time I wanted to experience helping adults.

It’s rewarding making a difference to people’s lives and helping people to be as independent as possible. It’s also been a lot of fun and I love it. It’s great to give your time to help people.

At the day centre some of the clients have autism and can get really anxious when plans change. I help calm them down by removing them from the situation and explaining to them that sometimes plan change. I also have to be firm but fair when some clients try to get their own way. I explain to them why they cannot behave in certain ways.

I want to become a youth counsellor. I’ve never helped people with learning disabilities before so volunteering has given me insight into helping people with challenging behaviour, so I think it will definitely help me in the future.”