Anna Young

Please could you introduce yourself and tell us a little about how you came to hear about Studenteer?

I am a third year Spanish and Linguistics student at the University of Leeds. I heard about Studenteer on one of my favourite podcasts, I went to the website to see if there was any way that I could help and signed up straight away.

What made you want to want to sign up as a Studenteer?

Unfortunately, Coronavirus meant that I had to come back to the UK early from my year abroad, where I spent 6 months interning in a translation agency. All of a sudden, I found myself back at home with a lot of time on my hands. I wanted to spend lockdown doing something productive, and also find a way to help people. Studenteer seemed like the natural solution.

Could you tell us a little about the project you’ve been matched with and your role in helping them?

I have been matched up with a Furlonteer, Alison, who is the Director of a marketing company. She had already started working with a charity called Pilgrim of Brixham, who have taken on the preservation of a heritage sailing trawler. Pilgrim offer holidaymakers trips on board, and Alison has been helping with their 2021 marketing strategy. After meeting with Alison and some of the Studenteer team, we decided that I would help out by taking a look at Pilgrim’s social media.

What new skills has this experience given you?

Alison has helped me to discover abilities in my skillset that I had not previously identified. For example, the social media fluency that is largely a product of my generation could be useful for Pilgrim but wasn’t something I had considered a skill of mine. Alison has also encouraged me to start a Google Skills Shop course in Google Search Ads and to familiarise myself with the marketing platform Mailchimp, which has been enjoyable and will no doubt be of use to me in the future. 

What impact do you feel it’s had on your experience of being a student or graduate during COVID-19, and are you likely to continue volunteering after it ends?

I have gained confidence in skills that I had not considered before, and as I do not yet know exactly what I would like to do after graduation, it has been invaluable to get some insight into new sectors.

Could you give any advice or tips to other people considering signing up to Studenteer?

Just do it! The team will try to pick out a mutually beneficial volunteering opportunity, where you can gain new experience and make connections.

Would you recommend Studenteer to a friend who is a Student or Graduate?

Definitely. It is a relaxed way to try new things without necessarily committing all of your time to one cause.

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