The University of Barcelona, the Catalan university with the highest number of volunteers
The university studentsʼ commitment to social causes is growing, according to the 4th Study on University Volunteering elaborated by the Mutua Madrileña Foundation, which states that the University of Barcelona holds the third position in Spain, and the first one in Catalonia, regarding the number of students who take part in volunteering. The first position is held by the University of Santiago de Compostela, and the University of Malaga holds the second one. These three universities gather a total of 8.371 volunteers.
Eloisa Gil and Christian Bassas are two examples of this. She is a student of Psychology and he is studying Literary Theory and Comparative Literature. Their commitment to volunteering comes from long ago. Before entering the University of Barcelona, they had already participated in different supportive activities. “Collecting medicines for the Pharmacy Bank, collaborating with schools to teach kids through games… those kind of activities I could combine with my studies. Little by little, right?” says Christian. Eloisa had also collaborated with students with special needs and experienced international stays related to education and leisure.
Both admitted it is not always easy to juggle studies with volunteering. “If you have a crazy schedule, this is really difficult to do. I only suggest volunteering if you have time and are interested in it, otherwise…” says Christian. “It is difficult, and even more difficult when you have to combine it with work. But if you like something you try to have some time for it” adds Eloisa. There is no wonder they enjoy volunteering. We talked about their participation in volunteering projects promoted by the University and about their experiences, which have been a great way of learning, in the academic and personal fields.
The university studentsʼ commitment to social causes is growing, according to the 4th Study on University Volunteering elaborated by the Mutua Madrileña Foundation, which states that the University of Barcelona holds the third position in Spain, and the first one in Catalonia, regarding the number of students who take part in volunteering. The first position is held by the University of Santiago de Compostela, and the University of Malaga holds the second one. These three universities gather a total of 8.371 volunteers.
Eloisa Gil and Christian Bassas are two examples of this. She is a student of Psychology and he is studying Literary Theory and Comparative Literature. Their commitment to volunteering comes from long ago. Before entering the University of Barcelona, they had already participated in different supportive activities. “Collecting medicines for the Pharmacy Bank, collaborating with schools to teach kids through games… those kind of activities I could combine with my studies. Little by little, right?” says Christian. Eloisa had also collaborated with students with special needs and experienced international stays related to education and leisure.
Both admitted it is not always easy to juggle studies with volunteering. “If you have a crazy schedule, this is really difficult to do. I only suggest volunteering if you have time and are interested in it, otherwise…” says Christian. “It is difficult, and even more difficult when you have to combine it with work. But if you like something you try to have some time for it” adds Eloisa. There is no wonder they enjoy volunteering. We talked about their participation in volunteering projects promoted by the University and about their experiences, which have been a great way of learning, in the academic and personal fields.
Why did you decide to join university volunteering?
Christian: I always liked helping as much as I could and I find it satisfying, knowing that your work is useful. Moreover, I could combine it with my studies. I had lessons during the afternoon, so why not helping others and gaining experience in some tasks? I thought about it and joined volunteering.
Eloisa: In my case, working in the field of socio-occupational insertion, I had always been interested in working with different collectives for social integration and diversity, trying to reduce discrimination, such as social exclusion and its risks. I believe that education is a good tool, at all levels.
Which was your first collaboration with Voluntariat UB?
Christian: I saw the advert for “Recicla Cultura”, which would take place in Saint Georgeʼs Day at the Historical Building, and it got my attention, since I spend hours with books, so I thought it could be a good activity. I joined it and was not disappointed at all by the tasks I performed; it was a satisfying experience. We had a solidary stall where we exposed books given by people and sold them with no price tag. The aim was to collect money to fund the literacy courses for newcomers in Catalonia. Books were the elements for the solidary act, it was symbolic, since people paid for them what they wanted and took those they wanted. We found people who gave 50€ or even more! I found this was a great idea.
Eloisa: I took part in the program of Social Policy and University Access (PSAU), as a mentor, together with a colleague from the Faculty, and a group of three students (a Pakistani boy and two Arab boys) in their first year of high school (Institut Joan Salvat Papasseit). It was an enriching and deep experience. We helped them with their personal and academic lives. They were willing to participate. They had a lot of questions about the university and we told them about the different studies they could take. For them, getting to university was something really big. One wanted to become a doctor, the other a lawyer, and the other was still considering architecture studies. They were full of thrill and potentials, although they also doubted whether they could pay for the studies.
But these are not your only experiences as volunteers. Does volunteering make you want to continue?
Christian: Yes. I am learning a lot in a collaboration internship from Voluntariat UB. We put the UB community in contact with the entities to help them in anything they might need. When this internship ends I will continue volunteering because, apart from making you feel happy, you learn a lot. If only half the students visited some of the entities!
Eloisa: Personally, the program on Social Policy and University Access made me want to continue with this project in the future, and I will. Being a volunteer makes you feel happy and you feel grateful and admire both yourself and the people you work with, it is fun and useful as a learning method -and you gain experience in lots of fields.
One of the aims of the university (especially the public ones) is the return to society. What is the role of university volunteering?
Christian: I think volunteering is making a real return to society. People from university, schools and institutes have to be trained in all fields to face and solve problems that come up while society is growing. And whatʼs better than knowing about all kinds of problems, as discriminatory as they might be? If you are part of an academic world where you only see people who are similar to you, who study and finish a degree with more or less obstacles than you, you will only have one view of the world. But if you step forward and leave the building and its related institutions, and leave prejudices behind, you will see inequalities that -if they hadnʼt affected you directly, it might be because you never thought of their importance. We can solve conflicts and reach a total progress covering everyone when all factors are taken into account.
Eloisa: Actually, lots of activities promoted by the University are collaborations with sectors that are at risk at social, educational and health levels. In short, needs of any kind. Volunteering is a way of sharing, showing and reversing knowledge, making society more stable, fair, stronger and cult.
Last, would you recommend the volunteering experience to other friends?
Eloisa: Absolutely. You gain a personal reward which is difficult to express. It gives you a great satisfaction, you see you are collaborating in peopleʼs well-being, and this is another way of growing and opening your career options since you take part in different programs and projects, each one has their tasks, you understand other realities and have the chance to get deeper in different paths where you discover things you like and which motivate you, while you are creating your own tree of knowledge.
Christian: Yes. Acts of volunteering, even if they are small, serve to spread your vision of the world, and make yourself (and others) more conscious and act. And, who knows, maybe while helping others you find a vocation you didnʼt first think of.