Humans of CSE July

Balancing the demands of university life is no small feat – from lectures and assignments to part-time work and social commitments. Yet, some students choose to go a step further by giving back to the community. Volunteering while studying is definitely not easy, but for many it’s one of the most rewarding parts of their university experience. It’s an opportunity to step outside the classroom, connect with others, and use their skills to make a meaningful difference.

In this month's edition of Humans of CSE, we explore various initiatives and volunteer programs which a few of the individuals from the UNSW CSE community have undertaken. Whether it is assisting migrant children in assimilating into school, to mentoring robotics or even assisting in recreational activities for those with intellectual disabilities, we delve into the unique experience of three students sharing their insights on volunteering.

Each of these causes are different, but the impacts are immeasurable. Through reading this, it is hoped that you the reader are inspired to spend some time helping a cause that you care about.

Jenny (2nd year, Computer Science)

Can you introduce yourself and tell us which initiative you volunteered for?

Jenny: My name is Jenny, I’m a 2nd Year Computer Science student at UNSW. I volunteered at a St Vincent De Paul’s program called Sparks – whose goal was to assimilate migrant children into Sydney schools. It was based in Western Sydney and every week I was placed in a primary school and interacted with the students – helping them practise their English to more confidently integrate themselves into the Australian schooling system.

What inspired you to start volunteering with this program?

Jenny: I’ve always enjoyed volunteering and helping the community in different ways. This opportunity popped up shortly after high school and its mission spoke to me because I come from an immigrant family. Learning about the different cultures from the kids that came from overseas was quite an interesting experience.

Do you feel that you’ve made a difference through this program?

Jenny: With the program, there were four groups that we separated them into every week which ranged from games, storytelling and discovery. These sorts of things came together to help them communicate confidently, making a difference in their lives.

Not only was it rewarding for us to get these kids to be more confident, we were able to actually see their confidence develop by the end of the term, as we were with the same class throughout the term. It was really nice to see them be more confident in communicating in English and seeing how that confidence enabled them to start playing with the other kids.

How did the program shape you?

Jenny: It was definitely eye-opening in the sense that there are people in similar situations like me – coming to a foreign country where they might not know the language. It definitely made me more patient and understanding with the types of situations that people can come from and it made me grow as a better communicator as well. Learning how to adjust the words I say, how I’m presenting myself, my gestures and body language was a learning experience since communicating with adults is different to children.

What challenges did you face throughout the program and how did you overcome them?

Jenny: Since the target of this program is migrant children, a lot of them were not familiar with English so there was a language barrier. Not being able to communicate or talk to them was a big challenge but the activities we ran weren't just about comprehending English, but also about using hand gestures and body language to understand English. It was also helpful that we had teachers from different backgrounds who could help translate.

Is there anything you’d wish you’d know before starting the program?

Jenny: No, everything you needed to know you learnt on the job. Even if you weren’t confident in communicating or weren’t exposed to children at all - it didn't matter because if you were willing to put in the effort you would naturally become more comfortable communicating with the kids. Everything you learn you get from the experience, the most important thing is to have an open mind.

What made you keep sticking with the program?

Jenny:I think seeing the children evolve from being shy to being more confident in speaking to us as adults and to their peers inspired me to keep going. I really liked how my efforts made them feel more assimilated into the Australian culture and school system and made me want to keep contributing to the community through other programs.  

As much as I feel like I contributed to their life they also made a difference in mine as well.

Neel (1st year Computer Science/Electrical Engineering)

Can you introduce yourself and tell us which initiative you're volunteering for?

Neel: My name is Neel and I am in my first year doing Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the initiatives I am a part of are Emu robotics; where I help teach high school students that participate in robotics competitions. In addition I am a subcommittee member for Linux society. I am part of the development subteam, which is where I make the projects including the website.

For EMU, what does a day in the life of volunteering and mentoring look like?

Neel: Wednesday is the day that has both Linsoc and EMU in it. So on wednesday at twelve I head down to the square house where I have the weekly meetups with Linsoc. I am just there to chill, talk to people, make people feel comfortable and take attendance.

EMU robotics begins at four because that’s when all the high school kids come. They come to Uni and they get into the lab, which is when I just pop in to help out with coding. I'm a programming mentor, occasionally helping with some electrical and mechanical as well but usually other mentors handle that. I teach introductory programming to the students and teach them how to make robots until eight, it's a pretty long stretch.

Through your volunteering and these programs how do you think this has shaped you? What skills have you gained?

Neel: If I hadn’t experienced EMU robotics in high school then I wouldn’t have been able to experience a collaborative and dynamic teamwork environment. The stress and the rush of working on your robot a week before the competition is something I really enjoy. You test code on the day, scream at your team-mates to do a task while you go off and do your own thing. It’s amazing. It’s so fun.

I have been able to learn teamwork skills, communication skills and socialisation skills, things I would have been able to gain through just high school alone.

But because I went to EMU I was able to experience this as you do work late sometimes. Think about it, it’s like a week before a competition, the robot's basically half done and you have to make sure everything gets done by Saturday, which is when competition is.  Then sometimes you don't even have anytime to test code, your testing code on the day, screaming at your teammates. It's amazing. It's so fun. But yeah, through volunteering, I've learned all sorts of teamwork skills, communication skills, qualities that I wouldn't have gained through just high school alone.

Can you share a moment where you felt like your contribution as a mentor made a difference.

Neel: Those small moments of mutual celebration between a student and I after I am able to help them with a question about programming. It’s an amazing feeling to see them create things with my help.

If you could say one thing to people who never volunteered before or are new to these programs? Would it be?

Neel: Working together with people who share the same interests as you in my opinion builds a stronger connection with people around you. This isn’t something that you can get from just attending lectures, tutes or even society events. If you have the time it is definitely something I recommend you give a try.

Jason (1st year Computer Science/Economics)

Introduce yourself:

Jason: Hi I’m Jason, I am a first year student studying economics and computer science. I grew up in Canberra and I’ve moved to Sydney this year for university.

Which initiative did you volunteer for?

Jason: I volunteer at RAID basketball which is run by the YMCA in Canberra. So, RAID stands for Recreational Activities for people with Intellectual Disabilities and what we do is facilitate games of social basketball between them. Our duties generally involve encouragement, teaching them how to pass and shoot, and making sure everyone is involved and having a good time. It's an amazing way for people to have that social element in their lives.

What does a typical day or session look like in your volunteer role?

Jason: The program runs every Wednesday during the school term from 6:30pm - 8:30pm - and each session is split into two halves. It starts with a slower paced game, and towards the second half it becomes a bit more fast paced - although it is still inclusive of all skill levels.

The main focus of us volunteers was to socialise with the participants - as mentioned before - and it was through these chats that we really got to know the participants better.

What has been the most surprising or memorable experience so far?

Jason: I stopped going weekly at the end of Year 12 because I moved to Sydney,  but the first time I went back to visit was at the end of Term 1. When I walked through the doors it was crazy because most of them recognised me and called out my name and it was really nice.

I think it's the personal relationships, the bonds you develop with these people, that makes volunteering worth it. I heard about people in the years above telling me about how RAID just keeps making you want to come back for more and after doing it I now understand.

How has this experience changed or shaped you personally?

Jason: In general, I improved my communications skills - it requires a bit more effort to communicate with people with intellectual disabilities, but to be honest it’s just about expressing yourself more clearly.

Through meeting all these people you gain a better insight into what life is like outside of your bubble. I went to a private school where everyone is pretty well off, but through growing your relationships and getting to know people that are living in different situations to you it really opens your eyes. It helps you appreciate the world more and what you have.

Can you share a moment when you felt your contribution truly made a difference?

Jason: Pretty much every time I go I feel like I’m making a difference, they are always smiling, always happy, just to see the joy on their faces, it’s all worth it.

One recurring moment I notice is when they score a point and run around the hall giving high fives to everyone, that just seals the deal - it’s the cherry on top. The people and the bonds you create with them, you want to keep improving your relationship with these people which is what motivates you to keep coming back.

What advice would you give someone considering volunteering with this or a similar initiative?

Jason: Volunteering is one of the greatest things you can do, it's not for you to feel good about yourself, it's about making a difference in someone else’s life. One of my teachers used to say “not to, not for, but with”.

You aren’t doing something for them to help them, but you are doing it with them helping each other grow. It’s worth it and whenever these opportunities arise I will always recommend you to go for it - you never know where it’ll take you.