How volunteering at KLS feels like from our volunteers
Elders Programme
Tim (one of our Elders members) is about to start volunteering with the Elders’ Lunch Club! Tim attended the Elders team’s online meetings during Covid. Once restrictions were lifted she changed to the in-person meetings at our centre in Battersea. She attends a range of activities within the Elders Programme including Dance for Life and the Collective Art Club.
Tim told us: “I come to KLS to try things I’ve never done before. The art club allows me to explore and try new techniques, I started with simple pencil drawing and have moved on to acrylics. I really like dancing and the exercise helps to keep my body fit. It helps me both emotionally and physically. I’ve learned so many new skills and it’s given me a lot of confidence. I look forward to being able to continue my courses and give back to the team by volunteering at the Elders lunch club.”
ESOL Programme
Kathryn volunteered as a Teaching Assistant in ESOL’s Early Development classes for two years and continues to do this for the level 2 and 3 English classes. She was recruited as our ESOL Volunteer Coordinator and Administrator organising extra-curricular activities and does that along side her volunteering.
Kathryn said, “My time spent volunteering in the classroom has been indispensable for getting to know the students and involve them in the various projects. KLS ESOL teachers and students are fantastic to work with. The teachers have helped so many students over the years to learn a new language, discover a great community and thrive in a challenging environment. I help the students with their writing and speaking skills during the class and support the teacher when required. I really enjoy meeting students of all nationalities and getting to know them over the academic year. Some of the students are with KLS for years and it’s lovely to see their language skills improve.
I wanted to do something completely different from my past career and I was in a position to be able to spare a few hours to volunteer. I taught English as a foreign language when I was a student but never had the opportunity to pursue this further. The staff and students are all very welcoming. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and enjoy your time in the classroom!”
Love to Learn Programme
Our young Love to Learn members are invited to become Ambassadors, taking part in events, public speaking, interviews and other such activities. Safia was a member of our youth club and also was part of the mentoring programme.
Safia explains “Being an ambassador at KLS has helped me a lot, especially at university. It not only helped me to get an interview to be Student Ambassador, but also gave me the communication skills I needed to succeed and be selected. On top of that, it has given me the confidence to start my own society so now I’m also President of the Somali society at the University of Leeds too.”
Take a look at our wide range of Volunteering Roles!
If you want to know more about volunteering at KLS, get in touch with Chris Kelleher, our Head of Volunteering at [email protected].