International Volunteer Day
International Volunteer Day is celebrated annually on 5 December. It is a day for promoting the spirit of volunteering.
Every year on 5 December Treloar's community recognises international volunteers who help us transform lives of children and young people at Treloar School and College.
Since 2014, Treloar's has been welcoming international volunteers who join Treloar School and College and their various departments. Thanks to the partnership with International Cultural Youth Exchange (ICYE), Treloar's is able to offer work experience and support volunteers from all walks of life, but usually, the candidates are aged between 18 and mid-twenties and may well be a school/college leaver taking a gap year. A high number of volunteers also come to Treloar's after finishing college or university before embarking on a career.
Volunteering roles at Treloar's
A volunteer may be interested in pursuing a career in one of the many professions represented at Treloar’s and be able to gain the experience needed to pursue a career in the following areas:
- Teaching
- Nursing/medical
- Social work
- Speech and language therapy
- Physiotherapy
- Occupational therapy
Being a volunteer at Treloar's offers the opportunity for practical experience of living with, and caring for young people who, because of disability or illness, require the very special support available onsite. Moreover, all volunteers have access to professional training which helps them prepare and gain experience within their roles.
What it's like to be a volunteer at Treloar School and College
My name is Betsy, I am 22 years old and I am originally from Ecuador. My experience here has been very enriching and has allowed me to learn new and valuable things every day. I am strongly passionate about the field of disability as I consider it to be a very meaningful and rewarding work. What I value most about Treloar's is that it not only focuses on providing a quality education, but it truly cares about the well-being of the students, promoting an environment where we all work together to ensure that each student has the best possible quality of life. It is very inspiring to be able to collaborate with an institution that demonstrates such a genuine commitment to its students.
My name is Lilly, I‘m 18 years old and I am a volunteer at Treloar’s for the school year 2024/25. Even though only one term has passed, the work here has taught me so much and I really enjoyed it. After finishing school in Germany this year, I wanted to do something out of my comfort zone before going to university. Working as a volunteer seemed perfect and Treloar’s as my chosen project made it even better. It is such a nice opportunity to meet new people—some of them are already real friends—see new places and develop a totally new routine. Working with children with disabilities is something completely new to me, but the people here have made me feel so welcomed. During my first term here, I met the children of my class. All of them are so special in their own way and I love to see the developments they are making every day. Never in my life have I pushed a wheelchair before and now it is part of my day-to-day life. Taking part in special activities like physio, art, music or even a Christmas play, has shown me that even in hard times places like Treloar’s exist. With everyone working together and wanting to achieve the same thing amazing things can be possible. I am really looking forward to the rest of my time here and I am sure there are many more new experiences awaiting me.
My name is Anne, I am 18 years old and I have been volunteering at Treloar's since September 2024. After graduating from high school in Germany this summer, I decided that I would spend a year in the UK with an organization called ICYE to get to know the country, improve my English and do something that is completely new to me before going to university. I was really happy to get this opportunity to work here at Treloar's and after the first term, I am really enjoying living and volunteering here. I have met so many interesting people and found new friends and I love working with the children since they all are so special and smart in their own ways; I have learnt so much from them. It's really lovely to see the students interacting with each other and their progress every day. I really think that Treloar's is a great place for the students. This is why I am really thankful for the experience as a volunteer and looking forward to the following months at Treloar's.
Hello, I’m Grace and I’m 19 years old. I’m from Germany and currently working as a volunteer at Treloar’ College. I’ve always been interested in English culture. Improving my English, gaining new experiences and facing challenges are the main reasons I decided to volunteer at Treloar’s. So far, I absolutely love my experience here. I learn new things every day, both about and from the students. Treloar’s has a wonderfully inclusive atmosphere where everyone is accepted. People come from all kinds of backgrounds and the cultural exchange is incredible. Everyone is so nice and polite.