Birkbeck launches Certificate
in Volunteering

15 September 2004

People engage in volunteering and community activity for a variety of reasons. Some people might, for example, want to contribute to the general welfare of society, while others may be looking to develop their transferable and/or employment skills. There are also those who want to gain a better understanding of specific issues surrounding volunteering and the community, such as the extent to which the care of the elderly depends on volunteers and why this is so.

As a specialist in part-time face-to-face higher education for those who have day-time commitments, Birkbeck, University of London is launching a Certificate in Volunteering, which will give volunteers the opportunity to reflect on what they contribute to the community, and to gain academic credit for an assignment based on this work. This certificate will enable students to gain experience of working in a charitable, voluntary or other not-for-profit organisation and undertake course-related community activity to enhance the student's learning experiences, and to apply the theoretical aspects of the course to related experience in the field.

In the core module of the certificate, Volunteering and Community Activity, volunteers will write an assignment based on their community activity, and how it relates to wider issues in society. This assignment will include a log or diary of the volunteer placement, self-assessment of development and a review of knowledge gained. Students must complete at least 40 hours of volunteering with one organisation and attend monthly tutorials.

To build on the core module towards the certificate qualification, students are able to choose optional modules relevant to their volunteering interests. For example, someone volunteering with Age Concern might decide to choose modules from Birkbeck's Certificate and Diploma programmes in gerontology or social studies. Students can also enrol on modules from the Certificate and Diploma programmes in Development Studies, Social Policy and the Care Sector, Health Planning and Management, Legal Studies and Management.

"Volunteering is in itself an important learning process, and volunteers are people who have interests and concerns beyond their own immediate needs," says course tutor James Simister, a former Volunteer Director of CSV Volunteer Partners. As Co-ordinator of Birkbeck's Volunteer Programme, James is an experienced long-term volunteer with a range of organisations, and has spent 15 years teaching in adult and further education. "This certificate gives people the opportunity for critical reflection about social and global problems, and about how their commitment is valued and regarded."

The Certificate in Volunteering is intended not only for volunteers but also for staff and trustees of not-for-profit organisations, and will also be of benefit to those who are new to the voluntary and community sector. Birkbeck can arrange suitable opportunities for students new to volunteering through its Volunteer Programme, which has a wide range of contacts in London's not-for-profit sector. In some cases, these placements have helped students change careers.

Course enquiries:
James Simister, Course Tutor and Co-ordinator of Birkbeck's Volunteer Programme
Tel: 020 7631 6699
Email: j.simister@bbk.ac.uk

Contact:
Catherine Doherty, Media and Publicity Officer
External Relations, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HX
Tel 020 7631 6569
Fax 020 7631 6351
Email c.doherty@bbk.ac.uk

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