As we approach the end of our week-long virtual celebrations, today we shone a light on the all-important topic of community. A theme which is at the very core of our Graduate+ values, and one which couldn’t be any more crucial now as we navigate the current pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement.
We used the opportunity today to highlight a few community projects and schemes that do good in the area, including UpRisingUK – a national youth leadership development organisation aimed to help 16-24 year olds access opportunities; and NetworkFour – a Birmingham based charity that supports vulnerable people between the ages of 10-40.
Community, Unity & Us…
We also took a look back at some of the amazing talks from our TEDxBCU event, which was held in March this year. The theme: Community, Unity & Us focuses on the notion of community in all its forms, as we experience unprecedented change through society, inclusivity and technology.
First on the line-up: Anthony Daulphin, CEO of Standing Ovation – which is renowned with the Education sector for bringing children and young people together through creative arts and pastoral support. His talk ‘Leap of faith! What if I fall? What if I fly!’ explores the origins of his individual drive and motivation, sharing the importance of community in all his work with others.
Next up, we heard from Raj Holness, who shares her story of overcoming abuse in her talk ‘Why me…!’ Raj is an undeniably inspirational force – amongst several other accolades she founded the charity Breaking Silence UK, an organisation which raises awareness and provides support to women and children victims of domestic abuse.
Finally, Sophie Milliken (graduate recruitment and employability expert) tells us, ‘The truth behind the show reel’, and what motivated and inspired her on her journey to success.
To see the rest of the speaker videos from the main event, check out the full playlist here.
Spotlight on: Volunteering
In keeping with the theme, our spotlight feature today was on volunteering opportunities – looking at the many ways YOU can do good in your community. Sharing this article from the BCU website on where you can volunteer in Birmingham, discussing the importance of volunteering on the Graduate+ blog, and highlighting LIVE volunteering opportunities that you can get involved with now via the BCU hub.
Take me to the Volunteering opportunities portal.
There’s so much here to watch and read that is sure to keep you busy for some time (or perhaps you want bookmark things for future reference), but this is also a great opportunity to reflect on what you are doing for others. How are you serving your community as a means to serve yourself? Closing out with the following words to ponder...
Quote of the day: “Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.” – Helen Keller