Victoria, 24, "It was a real eye opener and a hugely rewarding experience."

Sam, 19, "I wanted a productive and challenging experience."

Victoria, 20, "I wanted to go to university but had not decided what course I wanted to do."

Heidi, 19, “I didn’t want to just take a gap year abroad and have an extended holiday."

Amy, 19, "My careers advisor suggested CSV as a good way of getting some experience so I decided to apply."

Victoria Clarke, 24, volunteered with CSV at a special needs school in Hertfordshire before going to university.

"I undertook a six month placement with CSV supporting people with learning disabilities, epilepsy and autism. It was real eye opener and a hugely rewarding experience. When I left, I applied to do a degree in Education and Disability. I carried on volunteering at university and have now secured a job working as a PA for the Arts Manager at a disability charity.

The volunteering I did showed I had commitment and initiative and made me confident in working around people with disabilities which gave me an edge when applying for jobs. It was essential in building up my self-esteem and finding a focus in my life when I needed it."

Sam Bennett, aged 19 and from Worcestershire volunteered for 6 months with CSV after completing his A-levels. Sam volunteered at a school for children with autism in Womaston, a small welsh village on the Herefordshire border.

“I think the idea of a gap year as an extended holiday is a bit outdated. I wanted a productive and challenging experience. Also I am going to study Mental Health Nursing at University in the Autumn so volunteering with CSV offered me practical experience that it is really going to help me on my course.

The volunteering was really challenging at first. I had no experience of people with learning disabilities so I didn’t know what to expect.  I guess it was a fear of the unknown.

The school is a bit of a last chance saloon for the students. It is a residential school and they have all been referred on from where ever they were before. The students are taught life skills rather than typical subjects in the hope that they become more independent.

I am really glad that I volunteered and I would definitely recommend it to anyone needing a break before going to university.”

Victoria Parr, 20, from Sussex took her gap year with CSV. She was providing respite care for carers of children/young people with disabilities

“We had lots of laughter and funny moments that I’ll always remember.”

Having finished my A levels I decided to take a gap year because although I wanted to go to university I had not decided what course I wanted to do.  I chose full-time volunteering with CSV because it was in the UK but also it was free.

The volunteering experience has changed me. One of my biggest challenges was getting over my shyness so that I could meet more people. I am more confident now and able to communicate easily with both adults and children.  In fact one of the highlights of volunteering was meeting lots of new people and making good friends.

Looking after all the children with disabilities was very rewarding and being a CSV made me decide what I wanted to do. I am now at university doing a BA in Social Work.  After finishing my degree I am hoping to work in a Children With Disabilities Team.

My days really did vary each day because I had different children and did different things with each of them. During holiday time I usually took the children out into the local community for example to the play park or the beach etc.

Full-time volunteering helped my university placement because I had low grades so I believe that if I hadn’t volunteered I wouldn’t have got on to the course I wanted at the university I wanted.
 
I’d recommend full-time volunteering to anyone because I had a brilliant experience and really enjoyed my time even though some times were hard but there were really good times too.

It’s not all hard though.  We had lots of laughter and funny moments that I’ll always remember. One of the parent’s of the children I looked after told me that the children always really looked forward to my coming and our sessions together, that meant a lot to me and was definitely one of my happiest moments.

Heidi Browne, aged 19 and from Peebles near Edinburgh, volunteers to support a student at Reading University complete their studies.

“I didn’t want to just take a gap year abroad and have an extended holiday. I feel I can do that at any time. I wanted to do something that helped other people and so I decided to volunteer with CSV in the UK. I also want to join the police after graduating university and I think this year in the community will help my application.

Along with two other volunteers I support a student with muscular dystrophy who needs 24 hours care as he can’t move any of his muscles. It can be very demanding and it can take up to two and half hours just to get him ready in the morning. I also found it difficult at first to look after a male student but I quickly got used to it.

I find volunteering very rewarding and it is good to know you are making a difference to someone’s life. I have also enjoyed living on campus and mixing with the students. Volunteering with CSV is definitely a good way of taking a year out.”

Amy Jones, aged 19 and from Birmingham is volunteering at a primary school for children with cerebral palsy in West Sussex.

“I thought about taking a year abroad but I honestly just couldn’t afford it. My careers advisor suggested CSV as a good way of getting some experience so I decided to apply.

I help the children throughout the day and try and give them as normal a school experience as possible. We also help them with their exercises so that they can learn how to cope with their condition.

I have found the whole experience of volunteering at the school amazing, and I can’t say enough of how much I enjoy it. The school feels like a big community, we are all mates and it’s like a big family.

I thought that living away that I’d miss home but I am one of 5 volunteers at the school and that has helped a lot. 

My volunteering has helped me realise that I want to work with children and I am going to apply to the school to work with them when my placement is over.”