People First Society regularly organises social projects both in the UK and abroad to help implement the theories we have learnt and give something back to society. As with our other activities, these projects focus not only on helping the project beneficiaries through the stated aims of the project, for example by teaching indigenous people to build efficient cookers in Mexico or by providing new nursery buildings in Kenya and holiday projects for inner city children in the UK, but on helping each person to develop themselves.

Each person living in poverty not only needs to survive to the end of each day, but to develop confidence and to regain their dignity to enable them to make real informed decisions and gain control of their lives and circumstance and to make the lives of those around them easier too. It is also the same with us as society members: how can we create that ripple effect around us? It is amazing that whilst we go to help, the people who we benefit can really change us too, granting us new perspectives into the world and people around us.

Brixton, London: Baytree Homework Club
Located in Brixton at the Baytree Community Centre, this homework club runs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 – 6pm. Volunteers may choose one or all three days (depending on their availability) and are encouraged to contribute not only their time but their ideas and enthusiasm in any way that may help the children and the project as a whole.

The children at the homework club are aged between 8-16 years old, from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Many of them have only a basic understanding of English. Volunteers help the children with a number of subjects, ranging from literacy and numeracy to history, science, geography and languages.

Who Benefits?
The Children: they get a perfect environment to study, they are encouraged to believe in themselves and most importantly to believe that their ambitions can be realised.
The Families: children learn good social habits and are helped to integrate into what is, usually, a foreign country.
The Volunteers: it gives them a sense of purpose and of contributing to the community as a whole.

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London: EC1 GOAL
- ‘Antidisestablishmentarianism’
- ‘Huh?’
- ‘Antidisestablishmentarianism’
- ‘I don’t believe you. What does that even mean?!’

Located in the inner city of North London, EC1 GOAL (Get On And Learn) Homework Club has been running since January 2001 and I am glad to report that it was a definite success. Every Tuesday,
students from various colleges of the University of London from a wide range of disciplines – including Physiotherapy, Music, Japanese, Economics and Psychology, would report for duty at the allocated premises. For 2 hours each week these brave souls would guide the students of surrounding primary and secondary schools down the scholastic path of mathematical challenges, scientific problems and literary mysteries.

The venture has also proved to be an experience of cultural exchange; the tutors themselves hailing from countries as far away as Hong Kong, Jordan, Australia and the US. EC1 GOAL is also the first community-based project that has received financial support from both the British Council Millennium Commission and the local Bengali Community. This money has allowed us to buy textbooks, stationery equipment and children’s novels. We have hopes to expand EC1 GOAL to two sessions a week so we desperately need more volunteers. I highly recommend the experience to everyone. It is certainly a positive way to put into practice the underlying ethos of People First Society.

There are 3 things that I have learnt from my time at EC1 GOAL:
1) 5 teaspoons of Cadbury’s Hot Chocolate Break in one cup of hot water is 2 teaspoons too much.
2) If all else fails, Hangman will keep them occupied for a while, and
3) The longest word in the English language, and a great Hangman word is: antidisestablishmentarianism.

Antidisestablishmentarianism: the system of belief of any person who is opposed to those who want to destroy the standable thing which someone made stand.

Vivian Aeyung
Psychology, UCL

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Glasgow (Fast Forward)

Fast Forward s a project aimed at girls aged between 9-12 years old, who go to school in the Govan area of Glasgow. At the moment, there are roughly 16 girls that come along and 9 student helpers. I have been involved with Fast Forward for the past year and have gained a lot from the experience. I have realised the importance of having a social conscience; and the fact that we should be prepared to help others and to try to give children the best opportunities in life.

Fast Forward is going from strength to strength and is having a very positive impact on both the students who help out and the girls who come along. As a result, this will positively affect the Govan community as a whole. The project is helping to change the attitudes of the children who attend, showing them the importance of education and the importance of helping others.
With this change in attitude, they will become very productive members of their community.
Fast forward is instrumental in giving the youth a helping hand to improve the society in which they live.

Jennifer Dalziel
Law & French, Glasgow

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Oxford (Blackbird Leys)

Despite the city’s high general level of prosperity Oxford has a number of seriously deprived areas. Blackbird Leys is acknowledged to be the poorest. The local authorities are working hard to address the problems of the community but there is much room for help from the voluntary sector. Winton has been active in the community since 1999.

The Blackbird Leys Project at St John Fisher Roman Catholic Primary School was started in 1999, co-ordinated by Alison Birkett with seven volunteers. The Project began as an after-school drama and story-telling club. It served a mixed group aged 7-9 years giving 15 minutes warm-up exercise, 15 minutes story telling and 30 minutes drama on one afternoon per week.

During the course of the Project, volunteers were asked to help some of the children who had difficultly learning to read. Reading support then developed as the main thrust of the work.
The pupil’s progress was noticed by staff and volunteers alike. Children left the club as their reading improve and new ones took their place. This turnover was seen as one indicator of the success of the Project. Plans for the continuation and expansion of the Blackbird Leys Project are being drawn up at Winton.

Sophie Pain
Accountancy, Oxford

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Manchester (SCORE!)

Score! is a group set up by Coniston Hall (Ashley Educational Trust) and students from Manchester Universities. Our mission is to encourage young people to take an active role in the society around them through voluntary work, educational activities and cultural exchanges, all with the intention of raising awareness of the needs of others. Want to make a positive difference to the lives of people around you? … Why wait until you finish your degree when you can start now! All you need to do is give a little of your time to volunteer in local initiative projects. These projects include children & refugee homework clubs and befriending schemes for the elderly & sick. This is a great way to broaden your horizons, gain new skills and experience as well as enhancing your CV!

Score! provides the training to become a volunteer and throughout the year various workshop/seminars are planned.

Our Projects
• Hulme Youth Centre: Tuesdays 5 – 7pm (challenging!)
• Somali Homework Club: Wednesday and Fridays 5 – 7pm
• Holy Name Junior Choir: Saturday 11am – 12pm
• PowerHouse: Saturday mornings
• Ashley Club: Saturday 3 – 5pm
• Francis House, Children’s Hospice: Weekends 4 – 7pm
• More to come…

These sessions take place during term-time only, giving you time to recoup your energies during the holiday season!

The main focus of these sessions is mentoring, and so we are primarily interested in recruiting committed mentors with two hours a week to spare - every week (although we are not too Stalinist about this - if you cannot make a certain week, and let us know in advance, that's fine!). Mentoring takes two forms, one general, one more specific. Generally speaking, your enthusiasm and positivity will make you a role model for all the children who come to the sessions. You will exhibit these qualities in all activities (such as playing, cooking and other team activities), facilitating a friendly, nurturing atmosphere and encouraging a spirit of friendship between all participants. You'll bring this attitude with you on our weekend trips and excursions, ensuring that everyone has a fun time.

Specifically, however, you'll spend a portion your time engaged in one-to-one mentoring sessions with individual children. You'll help these children with their homework, devise lessons to improve numeracy and literacy skills, encourage their artistic endeavours or teach them to play a musical instrument. Whatever your talents or interests are - share them! Perhaps more importantly, however, you'll become a friend, and ideally, you'll help them to see education - their education - in a more positive light. It is shameful that so few local children make it to the wonderful universities that you're privileged to attend - we aim to make this a real possibility, and it all starts in the mind.

There are also limited opportunities for people to get involved who cannot commit to weekly sessions. You might play a more general role as an activity leader and supervisor, but you would not conduct mentoring sessions with the same individual. We would encourage people to consider mentoring above this kind of role however; as we feel that becoming a mentor is a particularly rewarding aspect of Score.

To find out more about Score! And other volunteer opportunities in Manchester, contact Eileen Cole or Carmen Gonzalez at: info@conistonhall.org.uk

Eileen Cole
Marketing, Manchester

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The Jersey Project

This is a project involving older girls (14-18) from the Baytree Centre in Brixton. The girls can apply for a place on the project, which takes them to Jersey for 9 days, half as a holiday and half as a citizenship
and character course. Whilst in Jersey, the party sees all the sights, goes to the beach, and meets up with local people, both young and old. The girls visit the elderly at an old people’s home and complete their ASDAN residential award, and at the same time, everybody has tremendous fun!!

Needless to say, this trip requires volunteers to be extremely committed, understand their responsibilities and be amazingly patient and forebearing! It is a great challenge and you have to attend preparation workshops to get to know the girls and other leaders.

Ifoema Ezefili, a biochemistry student at the University of Liverpool had this to say:

"This summer the project I was involved in was aimed at disadvantaged children from the Brixton area of South London. It took place in Jersey for nine days and included three volunteers. There were nine beneficiaries in total. I have learnt a great deal from this project as my leadership and communication skills as well as my ability to work as part of a team have improved. I learnt that tolerance and being a good listener were essential qualities to have in order to work as part of a team. These qualities helped me cope in difficult situations during my time at Jersey e.g when settling quarrel’s etc.

"The beneficiaries have acquired various skills such as leadership, better communication, writing and oral. They were helped in acquiring these skills by being given a task to complete each day. Each of the beneficiaries was responsible for their execution of tasks although most required team work. My volunteering experience this summer has enlightened me on the vast needs of children living in areas such as Brixton. Knowing that Brixton is one of many run down areas in England, I have realized that my volunteering efforts have to be intensified in order to help as many children as possible.

Knowing you have made a change in a beneficiary’s life is a very rewarding experience. This was the case this summer when one of the beneficiaries made a good improvement in her oral and written English.

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