Nina studied BSc Mathematics and its Application from 2012 until 2016 and volunteered with SVC for many years on lots of projects as well as spending a couple of years on SVC’s Board of trustees. Nina also helped design, create and publish SVC’s current website.
Nina now works as a Social Worker for a London Borough and is working towards a Master’s degree through the Frontline Graduate Programme.
Here is what Nina had to say:
“I joined SVC as soon as I got to Cardiff in 2012 because I had made some great friends volunteering when I lived at home. In my first year I volunteered on Home and Away - a befriending project for children with disabilities which was great fab and really helped me to get out and about in Cardiff. The following year I wanted to do something with a bit more responsibility so I applied to be a Project Coordinator with the Amelia Trust Farm - we got to go out into the countryside every week and I loved working with the other volunteers and the adults who were based at the farm. They even trusted me to drive the other volunteers..!
In my third year I was on my industrial placement in Cardiff and I applied to be on the Board of Trustees as Communications Officer which I loved - it was a great opportunity to take ownership of a whole aspect of a charity and try to make it the best it could be. I was so proud to introduce the new website, increase our twitter and Facebook followers, start collecting alumni stories and begin the SVC blog, which replaced the newsletter format and made SVC more accessible to potential volunteers and interested parties!
In my final year I stayed on as a Trustee but took the position of Secretary to allow myself some time to focus on my studies too.
Being part of the Board, especially at a time of big change for SVC, was one of my favourite things about university - the responsibility and decision making was such a privilege and at all times at SVC everyone’s focus was on our volunteers and our service users which was what I loved about it.
I miss SVC a lot now I’m no longer there, and I can credit it with so much experience that helped me to get into my Social Work training course and start my dream job! SVC taught me that no matter what level of decision making you are at you can always have empathy for the people who will feel the impact of your decisions - something I think is important for everyone in social care in the UK to remember at the moment. I love watching what’s going on through the social media pages and seeing all the great work everyone is doing.”
