Thinking about volunteering but not sure what you’ll get out of it? Third-year Psychology student Andrew shares how joining Curtin Volunteers! helped him break out of his comfort zone, build real friendships and discover new strengths, all while making a difference.
When third-year Psychology student, Andrew, joined Curtin Volunteers!, he was just looking for a break from studying. What he found was a whole new community and a stronger sense of himself.
Andrew came to Curtin straight from high school and got into Psychology through a third-round offer. He had always wanted to choose a career that could make a difference in people’s lives.
“I thought, if I’m going to work, I want it to mean something. Helping people is a value I really developed over time, especially during high school.”
While he’s not sure if he’ll become a registered psychologist, Andrew’s still committed to working in the mental health field. After coming to understand the years of study required, and the independent and one-on-one setting of clinical psych, he has realised how much he appreciates collaborative settings.
Moving to Perth from New South Wales to start uni was a big adjustment for Andrew. He didn’t know anyone when he arrived in WA and found it tough to make friends in a place he didn’t even know. Starting from scratch in a new city pushed him out of his comfort zone, but it also led him to Curtin Volunteers (CV!), where he’s found community, connection and a chance to give back.
“I wanted to do something different to break the monotony. Spending all your time in a room or the library can be draining. Volunteering felt like a way to meet people and do something meaningful.”
Volunteering opened doors to new experiences for Andrew, including a trip to Cuballing with CV!’s John Curtin Weekend program. Experiencing a small, regional town like Cuballing, with strong community spirit, he further understood how much he valued the feeling of community and connection.
Further, Andrew has found other great benefits to volunteering, like getting to see parts of Perth and WA that he otherwise may have not gotten to see.
“You get to explore and for a fraction of the cost as well. CV! is also a really good way to procrastinate study. It’s actually a really good way to have a break and not just sit in your room thinking: ‘I really should be studying.’”
Procrastinating productively wasn’t the only reason Andrew wanted to continue his involvement with CV!. Andrew wanted to get more involved after his participation in the Skills for Success program. He had learned the skills of leadership, teamwork and real-world communication by the book, but wanted to put his learning into practice in a real-world team environment. This helped him to become a leader at CV, allowing him to liaise with community partners and helped coordinate teams of student volunteers.
For Andrew, one of the best parts of volunteering has been the friendships.
“Most of my uni friends now aren’t from my course—they’re people I met through volunteering. It’s such a mix of students from different backgrounds. You’ve got international students, student ambassadors, people into hobbies, people who just love helping out.”
Volunteering has helped him grow in confidence, too. Andrew believes he has developed better communication skills and is more open to trying new things, with volunteering as a safe environment to learn and lead. Before, he thought that volunteering didn’t really have any benefits for the volunteer as an individual. He knew that it was something the was kind to participate in but never imagined the benefit and joy that he would receive from being a volunteer.
His advice? Don’t underestimate how much you’ll gain from giving. Volunteering isn’t just about giving, it’s about growing too!
