Placement students making the difference 

Lily is a Sociology and Criminology student from the University of Nottingham who joined Refugee Roots earlier this year for her placement. Lily supported us through her involvement in Access projects, including English, art, and gardening sessions. As well as this, Lily participated in our Befriending programme to provide 1-to-1 support for a participant. 

Throughout her placement, Lily received regular support from our Volunteer Coordinator and Project Coordinator to ensure she had the necessary training to benefit from her time at Refugee Roots and learn new skills. At Refugee Roots, we welcome placement students from local universities and colleges to get involved with our projects through placement opportunities in order to gain valuable work experience and learn about our work. 

Read about Lily’s experience below: 

At first, I was nervous about teaching as someone that is unqualified and inexperienced, however I learnt that I thoroughly enjoyed seeing refugees’ progression in English and it felt amazing to know that I was helping to contribute to their understanding of a foreign language which they were eager to learn.

I loved my time at Refugee Roots, it was incredibly rewarding and gave me the opportunity to meet some amazing people as well as develop new skills and confidence in myself and my abilities. Working as a volunteer assistant meant I was fully immersed in the work of the charity and felt like one of the team.

Quotes from the University of Nottingham blog.