Bite-size volunteering: Peruvian edition!
In the final months of 2018 we welcomed Glenda into the Streetsport team after she’d approached us about doing some volunteering. Glenda, from Peru, was keen to get involved with an organisation that shared her beliefs and interests before returning home in January.
Having most recently worked at a university in Peru while also volunteering for many other causes in the past, Glenda was well versed in the importance of programmes like Streetsport.
“When I arrived here, I wanted to share different points of view with people that I might have something in common with so that’s how I found Streetsport.
“In Peru, during the last five years, criminal acts committed between 12 and 23-year-old’s have increased by at least 80%. I believe taking kids to sports is the best way to avoid crime and a great solution to decrease the alarming statistics in Peru and South America.
“No non-profit organisation (NGO) has had this kind of solution as most NGO´s are just giving short term assistance. This has prompted me to ask myself how I can contribute to my society with the solutions that Streetsport are implementing.”
Before leaving, Glenda (middle) presented Peruvian woolly hats to Lewis and Hannah as a parting gift!
During her time with Streetsport Glenda volunteered on Wednesday evenings at the Cruyff Court Denis Law on Catherine Street. The session is in partnership with the Active Girls Committee and runs weekly from 16:30 to 17:30, targeting female participants between P6 and S2.
“I assisted the girls’ session, taking some pictures of participants who all had a story to tell. I could feel a great atmosphere in every session. The Streetsport leader put music on and when the session started none of them cared if it was cold or not, they just wanted to enjoy themselves.
“There they have the opportunity to discover what they are good at because Streetsport offer them different sports and then they choose which ones they like. I’m sure in a couple of years we are going to see them in major leagues!”
As well as volunteering at one of our nightly sessions, Glenda also helped behind the scenes. She created a document which outlined how the Denis Law Legacy Trust could improve its online reach through social media as well as, together with Lewis, interviewed Kirstin Bell for another recently published case-study.
Talking more about the benefits of volunteering with Streetsport, Glenda added: “All of them are so kind and give you the empowerment to propose how you can help.
“Even for a short time, being a volunteer helps you to get closer to your goals. As a foreigner I had a competitive advantage, a different point of view. Not just through giving opinions about how Streetsport could reach more children, through social media for example, but also because you see a different perspective of social problems.
“Aberdeen is a multicultural society with great opportunities for future volunteers to be involved in to help create a better society for future generations.”
Glenda’s time with the Streetsport team was only brief yet beneficial and fun for both parties and a great example of how easy and flexible volunteering can be.
“As an organisation we understand that so many things can come before volunteering (family, work, studies etc.) and that in order to provide positive opportunities for everyone you have to work closely with each volunteer”, said Mark Williams, Denis Law Legacy Trust Chief Operating Officer.
Continuing, Mark added: “Bite-size volunteering with us is all about a volunteer coming in and contributing positively for as long a period as they want before being able to move on.
“Glenda is a great example of this as she was only visiting Scotland for a short period and wanted to make a difference whilst here before returning home. Glenda did just that and in a short space of time has left a very positive legacy behind.
“We want to be able to provide that experience for every volunteer who may have a busy schedule but still wants to do their bit for young people.
“Bite-size volunteering is the perfect way to do this and there are many options within the Denis Law Legacy Trust to facilitate this for any potential volunteer.”
If you would like to hear more information about bite-size volunteering and how this may suit your current lifestyle then please do reach out to us at streetsport@rgu.ac.uk and we will be sure to get in touch!
