My first volunteering experience at City was with Aphasia Reconnect, a charity supporting people recovering from stroke with various degrees of a language condition called aphasia. I started my undergraduate degree in Speech and Language Therapy in September 2020, so we were basically in lockdown, not going to campus and studying from home. Through the course I found out about Aphasia Reconnect, closely connected to City and offering placements to students, but who needed cover to continue supporting their client groups in the holidays. It’s all to do with conversations and groups in person and online for people in the Islington and central London community.
My mum had a stroke a few years before I began my degree and that was the reason main why I wanted to retrain, I was intrigued into what kind of support they offered and whether it also might work for my mum, so I dropped them a line and asked if they needed help during the winter and Easter holidays. There was an interview and some training and then I was ready to go.
It was so lovely to meet other people who also had aphasia, as everyone presents so differently, just like any traumatic brain injury. These were things we were learning about in class, about how these conditions differ between people depending on their age, location of brain injury and so many other variables. I knew I wanted to work with the adult population, hopefully in rehabilitation or palliative care, so I was really looking for some more experience and thought this was a nice way to do it. I ended up doing online support, helping with tech and keeping the conversations going, making sure nobody is left out. I did this pretty much for about 2/3 of my degree (I’m in my 4th and final year now) and its great as it’s flexible and you can let them know the dates you are available to support a group.
In my 2nd year at City, we had to think about whether we wanted to commit to the integrated masters programme in the 4th year, as well as choose our research projects for our 3rd and 4 th years. I was already involved in the Stroke Association through mum’s stroke. I wanted to support them through volunteering, and so I joined their “Involvement Group” again, whenever they have something they need feedback on they email you and if you have time, you sign up and help that particular project. I’ve looked at their website design and language, draft leaflets, including pointers of where to go if you’ve had a stroke, and what to do, taking into consideration access needs such as visual and hearing impairments. I also sit on a pan-London Stroke Research Committee, made up of clinicians, researchers, carers like me, and stroke survivors.
For City students, not only those in SLT, volunteering is a fantastic way of learning what’s out there, what the priorities are for people accessing support, and the various ways you can get involved – you don’t have to have a personal connection. As a mature student and with my personal history, I also wanted to find out more about research. Through these volunteering experiences, I now have a network of people inside and outside the university who have research connections and whom I can ask about anything. It brings you back to reality too: being reminded when you’re in the middle of an essay deadline that there are bigger issues going on out there and you can be part of the team supporting those experiencing these issues.
My volunteering opportunities have involved interacting with people and using my learning in practice and realising how far I’ve come in four years. It's almost like you’re taking an exam or writing coursework, but without the pressure, because you’re seeing people every day who have differing speech, language and communication needs in differing environments. In fact, as this article goes to press, one of the volunteering charities needs emergency cover during the summer while I wait for my results so I’ve signed up for six days to help them out.
Volunteering is ultimately another opportunity to learn and to give back, and I was very fortunate to be able to do all this during my degree. It really has been a great way to dip my toe in and try something out for a term or committing for a few weeks, it is always interesting, doesn’t need to be too demanding, and you never know where it might lead.
If this story has inspired you to volunteer, check out these SLT opportunities below:
Stroke Association - Community Connector
Headway East London - Day Service Volunteer
Headway East London - Evening Service Volunteer
Change Communication - Buddies Scheme