Category: Bristol Volunteers

Giving back through volunteering

Posted on by Ellie
(c) David Pratt

Chris Edwards (BA 2015) shared his expertise with students by volunteering as a panellist at an alumni careers event.

I graduated from the University with a degree in Italian and Spanish six years ago, and I now work for the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. In my role, I look at how we can partner with the private sector to support the growth of start-ups across Africa and Asia. These businesses have a huge impact on the low-income groups they serve; they provide critical products and services at affordable prices, from clean energy to safe water, hygienic sanitation, digital healthcare and beyond. We work with them to expand this impact and become financially sustainable. (more…)

The five greatest impacts of COVID-19 on the creative industries

Posted on by steph.organ

The creative industries account for almost one in eight UK businesses and contributed £115.9 billion gross added value to the UK economy pre-pandemic. So what will happen to this booming industry in the aftermath of COVID-19?

We spoke to three Bristol alumni working in creative industries to get their thoughts on what the future of this sector might look like beyond the reach of COVID-19. Here’s what they had to say. (more…)

After your English degree: Seven top takeaways from our alumni event

Posted on by steph.organ

In April, three fantastic Bristol alumni hosted a digital event aimed at English Literature students and recent graduates starting out in their careers. Our hosts shared their career insights and tips on how to get the most out of an English degree after graduating.

We were joined by Alice Johnston (BA 2013), a Freelance Journalist who specialises in lifestyle pieces and has written for titles including CNN, the Daily Mail, the Metro and Culture Trip. Alongside her was Catherine Spencer (MA 2015), Senior Digital Marketer at the National Trust, who has a wealth of experience in creating and delivering marketing strategies for the organisation. We were also joined by India Fallon (BA 2014), Senior Programme Officer at Development Pathways, an organisation which aims to create evidence-based solutions to social and economic challenges faced by nations around the world.

We rounded up some of their best tips below! (more…)

Bristol Volunteers: How to boost your LinkedIn profile

Posted on by sophie.davison


 

Volunteering can be a great way to add to your professional experience and build your presence online. If you’re a Bristol Volunteer there are a few ways we can help you to enhance your LinkedIn profile and make the most of your volunteer experience.

Get a recommendation from the Bristol Volunteers Team

Recommendations written by a LinkedIn member are a great way to recognise your work and support the skills and experiences you have included in your profile. They can help strengthen your network, show that you are reliable and make your profile stand out to employers.

We can provide a written recommendation for you, acknowledging your skills and experiences as a volunteer. To request a written recommendation from the team on your LinkedIn profile, please complete this form (please note the deadline is 31 July 2021).

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Social Sciences and Law alumni give back by mentoring current students

Posted on by sophie.davison

 

Each year, the University’s Faculty of Social Sciences and Law runs a series of mentoring programmes which support both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

The programmes, which are run by the faculty’s Professional Liaison Network, benefit from the guidance of University of Bristol alumni, who volunteer as mentors. Last year was no exception and we’d like to say a huge thank you to the alumni who volunteered during the Autumn and Spring months to inspire and assist our students.

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Helping you to stay connected

Posted on by sophie.davison

Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

Bristol Volunteers coordinate and manage lots of events for Bristol alumni all around the world. They bring alumni together to reconnect with each other and share their memories and passions. We want to work with you to help with your event in the best way that we can. So, if you currently organise events for alumni or are thinking about doing so, here’s how we can help.

At the moment, all our alumni events and gatherings are being held online. We look forward to seeing one another in person when it is safe to do so – and in the meantime, we can help you organise a digital get-together.

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Bristol’s alumni networks spring to life: Spring Showcase

Posted on by sophie.davison

The Bristol Alumni Network Steering Group: Charles Gunter (BSc 2006, PGCE 2007, MSc 2009), Savannah Coombe (BA 2020), Linda Wilson (LLB 1982) and David Richards (BSc 1988, PhD 1995)

On Friday 19 and Saturday 20 March 2021, the Bristol Alumni Network, in collaboration with the Students’ Union, presented the Bristol Spring Showcase. The weekend brought together alumni, students, and staff, through a series of digital events including tours and talks, panel discussions, a photo competition, celebrating 100 years of Geography at the University, and our very own University Challenge.

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Why I’m a Bristol Volunteer

Posted on by Ellie

Almost 2,000 people volunteered for the University in this academic year. We caught up with some of our volunteers to find out more about their roles and what being a Bristol Volunteer means to them.

(Top) Fran Wormald (MEng 2012) supported our Bristol Voices programme

Since moving back to Bristol, I’ve wanted to get more involved in the local community and support students at the University. I can imagine the coronavirus crisis has left students feeling isolated and lonely, with limited opportunities to meet and socialise. I wanted to be a friendly contact for a student during this difficult period.

I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the student I’ve been paired with. She and I have lots in common and get on really well. We’ve been able to talk openly about our difficulties during lockdown and what we’re looking forward to in the future.

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‘It’s important to find what’s right for you’: Bristol Mentors share their insights

Posted on by Ellie

One hundred alumni and students joined us on 16 March for the Big Bristol Mentors Mingle, which was our first ever Bristol Mentors virtual networking event. This was a chance for alumni, students and mentors to meet each other and share invaluable career-focused insights. (more…)

Alumni give insight on a variety of Economics roles at Bristol Connects Live

Posted on by sophie.davison

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                   Photo by XPS on Unsplash

Bristol Connects Live- our digital careers event series- has given over 1,600 recent graduates and students access to the Bristol alumni community’s wealth of professional insight and experience, since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the latest event in our series, we heard from three alumni working as Economists. Clare Boynton (BSc 2001), a Freelance Portfolio Director, hosted alongside panellists Christian Shae (BSc 2019), a Business Intelligence Analyst at Kings Cross Hospital NHS Trust, and Hannah Slaughter (BSc 2016), who works as an Economist at the Resolution Foundation.

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