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Volunteering with refugees in Greece

Lauren Haley, a BA Anthropology student, spent a month working with migrants and refugees in Athens with the help of Santander Universities Go Abroad funding.

Following a successful application for Go Abroad funding, I spent 4 weeks in Athens volunteering with refugees/migrants. Despite extensive attempts, the informality of organisations supporting refugees/migrants due to lack of central funding meant it was quite difficult to plan ahead. However, the flexibility of the Santander Go International Bursary meant I could still receive this financial support by providing evidence part way through my placement. When arriving in Athens, through the initial outreach I made prior to flying, I was put in contact with an autonomous organisation who provide teaching by volunteers in squats, as they cannot access state-facilitated education.

Interning in New York

P Johnson, a BA History of Art student, completed an internship at a museum in New York over the summer. They were awarded a £1,000 Santander Universities Go Abroad bursary to help fund their experience.

Thanks to funding provided by Go Abroad I was able to travel to New York City for an internship at the Queens Museum in August 2019. I found the internship through the help of my tutor at university which I am incredibly grateful for. As part of my course I needed to spend some time in a work placement to partake in a research project, and mentioned that I would really want to travel, especially to somewhere like New York, if possible. She put me in contact with the people at the Queens Museum, and after a series of emails and phone calls they were happy to host me. We agreed on me spending roughly 3 weeks at the gallery and I decided to extend my trip to an entire month in order to really get a good amount of time to explore the city. This trip was to be my first time in the US, and because I was going to be travelling along for a fairly long period of time I was initially incredibly nervous.

Remote South African NGO Internship

Malikah Ullah, an undergraduate Psychology student, is currently completing a remote internship with South African non-profit, Ikamva Labantwana. She was awarded funding from Santander Universities to help cover the costs of her placement. Malikah is blogging about her experience of interning virtually – read part one below. Part two and three are available on Malikah’s blog.

Since June, I have been an intern at South Africa’s Ikamva Labantwana which means ‘our children’s future’ in Xhosa. As a centre for at-risk children, I identify with the beliefs of Ikamva strongly; especially on the importance of education. By providing local young people who are out-of-school or need support after-school with informative and practical modules, they allow students to keep learning and not be held back by geography or circumstance. Not only is Ikamva a learning space, it is a safe haven for kids and a productive use of their time.

This internship was organised by VACorps who worked swiftly to secure me an internship that suited my personality. I was looking for something that would involve people and helping people, which Ikamva focus on. It was a perfect match! Not only was internship a quick and easy match, I was supported by #SantanderUniUK who provided funding making sure finance didn’t put me off.

I think the opportunity to do a remote internship has been one positive to come from COVID (maybe the only good thing!). Due to travel restrictions, internships in South Africa’s townships have been made possible which were otherwise too rural to reach. Not only has working at Ikamva been rewarding, but I’ve learnt a ton about how to conduct research and make raw data and information both engaging and teachable. As a psychology student, this internship has allowed me real-life experience conducting research on sensitive subjects, including sexual violence, in order to create a final informative yet understanding piece which could be communicated to young girls. This is not unlike producing lab reports or communicating research products to the public as we do in my course.

A part of this research was attending a Zoom talk about how COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affecting women in Africa. It was hosted by Africa.com and attended by the awesome politician and humanitarian Graca Machel and philanthropist Melinda Gates. Both women had great ideas about how having a seat at the table on all levels of the government and policy-making boards will benefit all women up as they become a part of the decision-making process. This was actually an opportunity that was put on my radar by my supervisor at Ikamva; it was excellent to see how far women supporting women can get you.

For one of my tasks, I had the challenge of creating a life skills module just for girls aged 10-17 years old on issues that they felt were neglected in school including bullying, consent and having tangible female role models. I took this responsibility extremely seriously and worked hard to find black women who had done great work and changed all of our lives in some way – to which there were many! I wanted to select a few who could inspire the girls and show them that there is no limit to what they could do and become. One problem that the girls fed back was feeling underappreciated and having achievement go unrewarded. At Ikamva, they created an annual showcase for the girls’ work in response to this. This aptly sums up how Ikamva is there to help and develop the youth.

By working with such an ethos, it follows suit that the staff are lovely and very accommodating. It’s been nice to have prompt communication and feedback especially now that my first year at university has concluded. Keeping busy is also important since I have been shielding at home since March! In this sense, remotely interning in a country with a different society and other languages than mine has been a great opportunity that I definitely didn’t want to pass up.

Meetings via Zoom have posed their own challenges with timing differences and issues with connectivity, but it always works out in the end. Technology is really the thing that made this internship possible. I feel privileged to intern at a place that keeps in contact, check in on me and that provides proper support.

Maybe next year I will be in South Africa in person but for now, I’m super happy to work around my own schedule and I am enjoying working from home.

For part two and three, please visit Malikah’s blog.

Volunteering at Es Baluard Museu d’Art Modern i Contemporani de Palma in Spain

Andrea Pisano, an International ICCE student, volunteered at Es Baluard Museu d’Art Modern i Contemporani de Palma in Spain. She was awarded funding by Goldsmiths to assist in covering the costs of her placement.

How did you find your volunteering activity?

Last year I really wanted to go to Spain because I have always been fascinated by the language and the culture. I found my volunteering activity in the Es Baluard Modern and Contemporary Art Museum online. I applied, and after a few weeks of waiting I was given the chance to have an interview with the manager of the museum, which led to me successfully obtaining my placement.

What skills did you learn?

Initially I was anxious because it was my first time working in the art industry, however it turned out to be an experience full of energy. I gained many different skills including how to encourage visitors to get involved with museum activities. I was also able to work in collaboration with my co-workers, practice my Spanish, and gain insight into the works that are related to the island, such as sculpture and paintings of Picasso and Miró.

What was your daily routine?

My daily routine was always full of different things to do between the work in the museum and practicing my Spanish. Every day there were activities taking place at the museum which involved people of different ages and nationalities. It was not only an artistic centre, but also a concentrate of different languages, cultures and religious beliefs.

What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

My challenges included finding a room in the busiest period of the year (July and August), being alone in a new country with different customs and working with children during their summer school activities. children tended to touch the works, scream during the exhibition and speak in different languages. Whilst this was hard to deal with initially, with the guidance of the staff I slowly learned the patience that was required to manage them effectively.

What are the benefits of going abroad?

As an international student, going abroad is the best way to open your mind, make new friends and learn another language; this makes you very attractive to future employers. The Go Abroad Team was really helpful as they provided me with the funding that supported me through the experience. This has definitely inspired me to travel abroad next summer.

Remote Marketing Internship in Cape Town (3)

Third year BA History of Art student Adya Jalan completed a virtual internship in summer 2020 funded by Goldsmiths. The opportunity was a marketing internship at Penda Photo Tours and Penda Trust, a photography and non-profit organisation based in Cape Town, South Africa.

In her final blog post, Adya writes about how to make the most out of your virtual global opportunity.

Read Adya’s first and second blog posts.

This summer, I participated in a Global Virtual Opportunity funded by the Go Abroad Team at Goldsmiths. I did a marketing internship at Penda, a social enterprise based in South Africa, Cape Town. Through my 9-week virtual experience, I encountered several challenges but also learnt ways to make this experience a constructive one. A Global Virtual Opportunity is something that I would highly recommend. It has allowed me to develop my professional and personal skills. This opportunity provided me a platform to network with people from all around the world. Working online can be quite a challenge, especially in the middle of a lockdown. In this blog, I am highlighting ways I obtained my ideal virtual opportunity, the advantages of doing one and how I made my virtual opportunity more productive by overcoming challenges.

Remote Marketing Internship in Cape Town (2)

In her second blog post, Adya explains discusses the power of art.

Read Adya’s first and final blog posts.

This summer, I participated in a Virtual Global Opportunity which was funded by the Global Opportunities Team at Goldsmiths. In July 2020, I started working as a Marketing Intern at Penda Photo Tours, a company based in Cape Town, South Africa. In this blog, I want to write about the work Penda does and the social impact it creates by focussing on how Art can be a powerful tool in doing so.

A few years ago, while I was residing in India, I worked for an NGO called Missing. They run a very successful and award-winning anti-trafficking campaign using art & technology to create awareness against sex trafficking. While I was there, I painted anti-trafficking murals on the streets in order to raise awareness among the public. As a self-taught artist, this made me realise that art can be used in so many powerful ways. Thus, when I came across Penda, I knew this is exactly where I want to be. Along with gaining valuable marketing experience at Penda, I also contributed in making a difference.

Remote Marketing Internship in Cape Town

In her first blog post, Adya explains how she found her internship and what she has learnt so far.

Read Adya’s second and final blog posts.

In March, when lockdown in London was announced, I went back to India to stay with my family for a while. It was a difficult transition with lectures moving online and moving back home overnight where I found myself living amidst a strict lockdown under the Indian government’s rules. However, I was determined to make the most out of this time and do something constructive. I wanted to get some work experience. In normal circumstances, I would apply for summer internships or volunteering roles, but given the Covid-19 situation, my options were limited. It was then, I came across the Virtual Global Opportunities on the Goldsmiths Website.

I was really intrigued at the idea of virtually doing an internship abroad. It seemed like an unconventional but ideal option since there was strict lockdown. With website recommendations on Goldsmiths’ Go Abroad page, I started doing some research on the different types of Virtual opportunities available. I found a website called Roots Interns. It is a platform that provides tailor-made, meaningful internships with charities in Africa. Their belief that learning and doing good go hand in hand, inspired me to connect with them. After having an initial conversation with Roots, based on my requirements, they suggested that a Marketing internship with Penda Photo Tours, Cape Town would be ideal for me. I was really interested in this and after the grant application process, the Go Abroad team at Goldsmiths funded my placement at Penda.

Interning at the Rivendell Art and Retreat Center in The Canary Islands

Isabella Jones, a Design student, interned at the Rivendell Art and Retreat Center in La Palma, The Canary Islands for her Erasmus Traineeship.

Obtaining my placement

I was offered an internship at the Rivendell Art and Retreat Center in La Palma, in the Canary Islands. It is an eco-center with a theatrical twist that invites groups to host workshops related to creative and ecological topics, as well as wellbeing. I sourced this placement through networking within the areas of my interest.

My Design brief consisted of two parts. My first task was the designing of a promotional campaign.

I started with Photography to have a base and feel for the campaign.

Here are some examples of graphics created. Signs had been made ready to start the promotion by resident artists. This allowed me to translate an existing aesthetic into graphics.

The second part of my design brief was to design a water and therapy pool.

A Tea Bag Project

Below is an art project I also helped create with dyed recycled teabag material. This is the most fancy tool box I have ever worked on!

Challenges and learning points

The challenges at Rivendell included remaining focused with an array of jobs, visitors and animals all needing attention. However, I am confident that both my skills as a promoter and as a photographer as developed during my internship have armed me for my final year at Goldsmiths.

The whole point of a placement abroad is to submerge oneself into a different routine and culture. Enriching not only ones personal and academic work but also adding textures and memories that can open up new pathways and thoughts. I never know where my feet will take me, but where ever I go, I record my story with a visual diary. Creating visual poetry and capturing not just the views but feelings
of a place, the good and less positive aspects as well.

My visual diary

I always feel like I can thoroughly soak myself in a place through my camera lens and even when I decide to leave my camera at home, that attention to detail allows me to discover stories within the wood of an old peeling door, a barking dog in a remote backyard or a dusty volcanic rock. The following photos are examples of my visual diary. Its not just the photos, but the combination of feelings caused when they are placed together.

The archaeology of the island

I am fascinated by experimental archeology and La Palma is an island with a turbulent political and historic past. From the natives on the island, the ‘Benahoritas’ with their advanced knowledge in astronomy and mysterious rock engravings, to the Spanish conquest in the 14th Century. It’s amazing to study traces of these past cultures within the architecture of the cities and the wild places of the islands, and through the many legends and stories.

Experimental Workshops

As well as exploring the volcanic landscape, I also organized a role playing event in the local valley. One moment that delighted me was when I met a lady who had worked as a telescope software programmer (The island has a world famous astronomical observatory) and I led an experimental workshop creating
cardboard shields with runic and Elven inscriptions. I translated “Cat” into runes for my new friend. It goes to show, no matter your job, creating a low-res designed object can bring out the playfulness that we all hold inside of us and that really defines for me, the joy of being at Rivendell. After an epic battle with biodegradable water balloons, the ‘Elven’ queen beat the ‘Ringwraith’ king and we restored peace to the valley once more (The passing tourist’s faces were priceless).

Volunteering as a Teacher in Greece

Giulia, a Media and Communications student, volunteered as an English and German teacher for a non-governmental organisation called Respect for Greece in Athens, Greece for her Erasmus+ Traineeship.

How did you source your placement?

At the beginning, I applied for the European Solidarity Corps – a website suggested by the Go Abroad Team – but unfortunately I did not receive a response. Nonetheless, the Go Abroad Team gave some helpful tips on how to continue searching for placements. In the end, I found my placement online by googling ‘Volunteer work in Greece’.

What were the highlights of your experience abroad?

One highlight of my experience abroad was the day I said goodbye to my language teaching organisation. Not because I was leaving – on the contrary – but because I was surprised me with a goodbye party by my colleagues. We had a delicious Arabic barbecue and we danced traditional Greek and Arabic dances all night. In addition, meeting wonderful and brave people from all over the world (mostly the Middle East) was a privilege. We shared personal stories with each other and taught each other phrases from our respective languages. This was an important shared experience.

Volunteering at MEMPROW SA in Johannesburg

This Fine Art student volunteered at a women’s empowerment and enabling organisation called MEMPROW SA, in South Africa. She was awarded funding from Santander Universities to help cover the costs of her placement.

How did you find your placement?

I visited South Africa to implement Healing and Empowering Art workshops for Women. I was employed by an organisation called MEMPROW SA, a women’s empowerment and enabling organisation who aim to combat sexual and gender based violence (SGBV). MEMPROW have a base at a drop-in centre called Sithand’Izingane Care project in Tsakane Township, Johannesburg, South Africa which supports residents who may be unemployed by providing short courses and skills to get them into work.

My involvement with the organisation began in 2018 when I was part of a team that was implementing workshops within the centre. Later on, I was asked to go back to continue the much needed work. Luckily, the Goldsmiths Go Abroad Scheme funded the workshops in 2019, so I was able to implement an elevated set of workshops with more women at Sithand’Izingane Care Project. The workshops were 4 days long, and consisted of poetry and spoken word, life drawing, self-reflective sculpture and an Exhibition on the final day where the community would come to see the work and contribute to the conversation surrounding SGBV and women’s empowerment through art.