Leora Kurtzer is a full-time Masters student studying History of Art MA. She shares her experience of volunteering for Student-Led Project b.zine, which works with 16-18 year old students to put the on spotlight young people’s experiences and ideas on some of the most socially avoided but important topics.
I know these conversations will stay with me forever and I think they will stay with other participants as well.
Tell us a little about your volunteering.
I volunteered as a workshop facilitator for b.zine, with a focus on having honest and impactful conversations with young people about sex. I led a workshop on consent and co-facilitated one on body image. I spent a few hours each week volunteering with b.zine, with the amount of hours fluctuating based on workshops and planning.
How did you find out about the role?
Through Students' Union UCL's volunteer portal
What difference do you feel you’ve made by volunteering?
I have had incredibly powerful conversations with my peers and young people about sex, health (physical and mental), and relationships. I know these conversations will stay with me forever and I think they will stay with other participants as well.
Why did you want to become a volunteer?
I knew I wanted to spend this year focusing on my studies but I also wanted to volunteer time towards a cause I care about.
What impact has volunteering had on you?
I was able to make friends during the pandemic despite everything being virtual.
What’s the best thing about volunteering?
Collaborating with equally passionate and like-minded people.
And the most challenging? How did you overcome the challenges?
In order to properly facilitate my workshop, I had to do a lot of research into the subject matter that I covered. The hardest part was making sure the conversations were less about teaching and more about discussing. The head of b.zine worked with me on this and dedicated a lot of time to helping me perfect the layout of my workshops.
Tell us about something memorable that’s happened to you whilst volunteering.
Getting to meet the b.zine volunteers in real life after restrictions lifted was so incredible because we had all bonded virtually and our zoom calls always entailed sharing our vulnerabilities. When we finally met in person, it was like talking to good friends who I had always known.
Would you recommend volunteering? If so, why?
Absolutely! It balances out your educational experience with impactful and tangible work.
I was able to make friends during the pandemic despite everything being virtual.
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