Hi and congratulations to everyone finishing exams this week!! Hope you get a well-deserved rest.
This week we had the Student Community Awards for those students who have put huge amounts of time and effort into projects which really made a difference to our local community and our Chancellor presented these amazing volunteers with their prestigious awards. We’d like to say a massive thank you to all those nominated.
At RUSU we’ve still got loads of things to get involved in if you find you’re twiddling your thumbs and here’s just a little taster…
Reading Council for Racial Equality Summer Discussion
Exams finished? Need a night off? Need to focus on a different topic? Well why not come along to our summer discussion evening. Tuesday 1st June at 7pm there will be a summer evening discussion in the RUSU Boardroom lead by Reading Council for Racial Equality Director Rajinder Sophal.
Possible topics: ‘Freedom of Expression – when is it right to ban or not to ban an organisation’ or ‘The creeping growth of hate’
Freshers’ Angels
We’re nearing to the end of term now (well a while off yet actually!) But if you’ve had a fantastic year and want to make sure that the new Fresher’s arriving in October feel the same why not become a Freshers’ Angel next year? A Fresher’s Angel is someone who acts as a visual signpost and helper during freshers’ fortnight – “great experience, great friends and just generally a lot of fun” – past freshers’ Angel Oct 09. Please contact m.pennyfather@reading.ac.uk to get involved.
Silent Students Happy Homes – community volunteers needed!
Are you able to help with the big SSHH clean up of the community before students move out of their houses? In week 8 you would be delivering moving out essentials to targeted streets that have the most students living on them and in week 10 we will be collecting bags and giving the unwanted items a new home! As a thank you, you will be rewarded with a certificate for your efforts which will look great with your CV!
If you think you could spare a couple of afternoons to keep our community a clean and happy place to live then come along to the planning meeting on Tuesday 1st June (next Tues) at 1pm in RUSU Boardroom or email e.bell@reading.ac.uk to highlight your interest.
Need to find a housemate/s?
No need to panic, there are still loads of houses on the market and make sure you get along to Megan’s Find a Housemate session at 1pm in the RUSU Boardroom (above the Hub) next Thursday if you are still looking for housemates – she has a really good success record of pairing households up!!
Website focus groups
If you want to have a say in the brand new website RUSU is getting this summer then come along to one of our focus groups – book onto one here: to www.rusu.co.uk/ruready
Not only will you be able to input into how our new website looks and works for you but you’ll also bag yourself a free lunch!
Volunteer week
Next week is National Volunteer week! So Anna thought she would take this opportunity to tell you about just some of the exciting volunteer opportunities we organise at RUSU.
If you fancy volunteering close to home we have lots of opportunities here on campus including:
RUSU’s Community Reps are student volunteers interested in making their local communiy a better place to live. RUSU Community Reps attend local community meetings, get involved in campaigns and initiatives in the community and work with local groups and residents. Training and ongoing support is provided.
http://www.rusu.co.uk/home/Get_Involved/CommunityReps.aspx
Why not volunteer with one of our Student Medias, whether it is writing in Spark*, running a radio show in Junction11 or helping with filming, producing or acting for RUON, the new TV station.
Is sport more your thing? Well we are setting up a Coaching in the Community next year giving you the opporuntity to run sports session at local primary schools and possibly gain coaching qualification. Interested? Contact John on j.obrien@reading.ac.uk
RUSU also coordinate volunteers to help with local organisations too including:
Nacro – A national charity with a very local base need willing volunteers of all ages to get involved in a variety of activities in the area. These cover working with children with disabilities, working with young offenders or those at risk of offending through sports and activities, mentoring college students to lead activity groups and leading the activity groups yourself. These are not all sports based, some can be guided walks and simple group sessions that promote well being.
Prospect Park Psychiatric hospital are recruiting volunteers, if you are interested they arecoming to campus 9th June 2-4pm so come along and chat to them.
A new and exciting opportunity is withthe Berkshire Healthcare trust who are also recruiting if people have an interest in Mental Health issues and would like to help organise/run events. Forms downstairs (you gave me these )
Another new opportunity is with the organisation called Spark SPARK Educare Learning Centre is a Community Interest Company (C.I.C) based on the Oxford Road, West Reading. The Learning Centre provides one-to-one teaching during term time (9 am to 3 pm) tosupport pupils who are struggling with mainstream education – particularly focusing on excluded pupils.
Their focus is on enabling young people to reach their full potential, to gain core qualifications and expand their employment and further education opportunities. We support 5-19 year olds in all CORE curriculum subjects from Key stage 1 to A/Level, as well as engaging with them to promote and improve their social and emotional wellbeing, confidence and educational attainment and ‘fun’ activities including art, dance, canoeing, and cooking.
So if any of these have taken your fancy get in contact with Adam Bailey on adam.bailey@reading.ac.uk
