Internal projects are managed by SCA itself and cater for the interests of Cambridge students. Check them out!
who? children
when? usually 2 hours/week during term
where? various locations around Cambridge City
Big Siblings are paired with a child with a single parent, special needs or a family member with special need; you can choose whether to be paired with a child with special needs or not.
Big sibs often take theirlittle sib out to the local playground, go bike riding or even just watch TV with them although group activities are arranged as well.
Reliability is crucial as children and parents get very upset if they are let down.
Volunteer profile: Tom Chigbo
I’ve been abig sib for the last 2 years and have found the experience very rewarding. I typically spend about an hour a week with my little sib, playing games at home, trampolining or running around the local park. It’s great fun and the perfect way to escape from the daily grind of lectures, essays or supervisions. The experience has also allowed me to connect with people and places beyond the University and Colleges, which is extremely valuable. For my little sib, it’s been helpful to get to know another adult outside the family and to have some regular time to just relax and get away from the pressures of daily life. Whether you’re looking to make a positive impact in a family or for excuse to relive the fun you had as a child, I’d definitely recommend becoming a big sib.
who? children
where? Coleridge School & Manor School
Pathways to Literacy is a new project which gives volunteers the opportunity to improve the reading abilities of local secondary school children. Based at Coleridge School (Homerton volunteers mostly) and Manor School, volunteers are paired up with a few children struggling with their literacy, and all of the volunteers visit each week at a given time to read with each child and give them a bit of extra help.
who? children
when? 1.5 hours every Sunday afternoon and/or alternate Mondays after school
where? within cycling distance of Cambridge City Centre
Volunteers work with a group of disadvantaged children to give them experiences that they would not normally have access to, such as climbing, archery, trampolining, football, basketball or short tennis. Some of the children involved may have learning, behavioural or physical disabilities and so need a little extra help to get involved.
Volunteer profile: Jonny Walker
I got involved in volunteering right from Freshers week and never looked back. I run the Bounce project now, which gives disadvantaged kids in the area the chance to do activities they wouldn't normally get to do, like trampolining, archery and athletics. After a week of SPS and Social Anthropology's intellectual offerings - writing essays about Mongolian tents, Nietzsche and smoked meat - there's an unexpected catharsis in being chased around a sports centre by a hyperactive 9 year old wielding a bowling pin. You can volunteer as little or as often as you like - with me it has fitted in perfectly with my studies and with my other societies and I look forward to every SCA session that I do. The other volunteers are a great bunch, and it's useful for making friends outside college. The kids love it too of course, which makes it even more fun. I'd recommend it to everyone - it helps you, as an individual, as much as those you are volunteering with. Give it a try I say!
who? elderly residents of local care homes
when? 7pm on Wednesdays
where? various locations around Cambridge City (minibus transport is provided from a central pick-up point)
Volunteers entertain in the form of sing-alongs, group performances, solos and occasional readings. They also have refreshments and chat with the residents during the evening – an aspect as important as the entertainment. Volunteers of all musical standards are welcome.
who? children
when? 1 hour/week
where? walking distance from Cambridge City Centre
Get out the glitter, glue, paper and paints and prepare to get your hands mucky! Craft Room gives disadvantaged children the chance to have some creative fun whilst enjoying the attention of SCA volunteers; re-live your Blue Peter days.
This project is for female volunteers only.
who? children from mainstream schools
when? 1-2 hours/week during term (Usually between 1:15-5:00pm)
where? various schools within walking distance of the centre of town
This is great project if you are looking for experience of working with children in an educational environment. The aim is to help children from mainstream schools who are having difficulty with their academic work. Teaching can be in small groups or on a one-to-one basis.
who? children
when? 2 hours every Sunday morning
where? a local park
First-off, we meet and collect the kids then herd them to the park, which is where the fun begins; we get locked in imaginary caves, display appalling football skills, go on mystery train journeys, get dizzy on the roundabout, climb to the top of the world (or the climbing frame, depending on your point of view) and generally just feel like big kids for a couple of hours!
who? elderly people in residential homes
when? 2-4pm on Saturdays
where? Linnet House
Volunteers chat, drink tea and play board games (lots of Trivial Pursuit!) with residents. Based in the very intimate communal lounge, this project is ideal for those who would like to make meaningful one-to-one relationships but still maintain the support network of a group atmosphere.
who? elderly people in residential homes
when? 2-4pm on Sundays
where? Ditchburn Place, Mill Road
Volunteers share tea, coffee, cakes and biscuits with elderly residents. There is often some form of entertainment – music, a visiting juggler or belly dancer, bingo or sometimes the afternoon takes the form of just a pleasant sit and chat.
who? anyone who might need your help!
when? very flexible
where? various locations
If you can only help once in a while, sign up for our weekly email bulletin. You will then receive a details of SCA training, events and requests for help. For example:
• Write letters and Christmas cards for a partially paralysed lady
• Help an elderly blind gent visit his old College
• Visit the Botanical Gardens with wheelchair users
who? schoolchildren
when? 1-2 hours/week after school or at the weekend
where? various schools within walking distance from the centre of town or at a child’s home
TESL is a one-to-one scheme for bilingual children who need help with their English. Working closely with the child’s teacher, volunteers usually visit their child at home to help with general reading and writing skills. Sometimes help is needed in the classroom when volunteers work under the direction of their teacher.