Good News Stories

QUB Sustainable Fashion Week

Sustainable Fashion Week is an annual reminder of the the environmental impact from the massively influential global fashion weeks and the fast fashion industry. It celebrates eco-friendly initiatives and alternatives to show people how to dress fashionably but sustainably. We marked the occasion in the SU on Tuesday 4 March with a variety of activities.

The SU’s own Swap Shop moved to the main foyer to give it the spotlight for the day. The shop consists of cool and funky pre-loved items ranging from clothes, shoes, handbags, scarves, books and household essentials. It operates on a swap system where students bring in pre-loved belongings to swap for something that has previously been donated. Students got to browse the collection and bring in any ‘swaps’ to get a new outfit!

QUB Sustainability also joined with the Repair and Mend Workshop. Students brought in damaged clothing with holes, pulled threads and rips. The team showed them how, instead of throwing these items away, they could easily and quickly make them as good as new. The workshop highlighted how important it is to reuse as well as recycle and how to get repeated wear out of clothes that were not made to last.

SU Volunteer then organised a Mini Fashion Shoot. Some of our Handy Helpers volunteers went on an excursion of the amazing charity and second-hand shops on Botanic Avenue run by Oxfam, British Red Cross and Save the Children Africa. They put together gorgeous outfits with clothing items, jewellery and shoes from the different shops and returned to the SU for a photo shoot. They then had the option of keeping the items or swapping them for something of their choice in Swap Shop. The Live Music Society stopped by to perform and entertain the models!

The brilliant events provided an engaging way for students to consider and learn about the impact of fashion and the changes needed to make it more environmentally friendly and ethical in the future.

Persuasive Communication Workshop

On Wednesday, 12 February, Elliot Kay, renowned speaker, consultant, mentor and an expert in impactful leadership and communication, conducted a workshop in the SU on presentation, confidence and pitching skills. It was attended by a large group of students including many of our volunteers along with Dragon’s Den applications and InnovateHer participants. Elliot runs sessions like this all over the world and aims to give participants the skills in storytelling and communication needed to reach their goals and express their ideas.

He showed the participants a variety of Ted Talks from inspiring leaders and thinkers such as Sam Berns and Amy Cuddy to discuss the ideas and also analyse what made this an engaging speech. He covered several strategies for confidence such as the importance of body language, impact over perfection and breathing techniques. He did an exercise in which people paired up and one gave their phone to the other person. They then left the room. Elliot told the people with the phones that they could only give them back if the person asked eight times. The other person, unaware of this solution, came back in and had to try to retrieve their phone. This was an interesting test to see if people would overthink the exercise and Elliot got everyone to deconstruct each other’s behaviour to observe different things about people’s reaction to situations. He focused the last section of the session on pitching. Participants came up with a problem and solution and focused on the structure and delivery of its pitch in groups. Some of the Dragon’s Den contestants were brave enough to practice pitching to the room and got feedback.

Elliot’s witty and engaging manner made this a fresh and interesting workshop that provided all attendees with essential skills for success in all fields.

Gardening at Wildflower Alley

Wildflower Alley is a favourite spot for student volunteers. The community garden, based in the Holylands was once a neglected alleyway that attracted crime and vandalism. Through the efforts of dedicated residents, it has transformed into a colourful and vibrant space, home to a variety of trees and flowers. It has won multiple awards for its contribution to making the Holylands a more pleasant space for residents. The link between SU Volunteer’s and Wildflower Alley also makes it a space where positive relationships can develop between residents and students, who otherwise may never have had the chance to meet.

Students usually visit Wildflower Alley every two weeks, rain or shine! They begin by tidying up the alley, sweeping away leaves and debris and pulling weeds. Brid, the founder of the Alley, along with the other friendly and welcoming residents, is always on hand to give guidance and teach the students about how to take care of the space. She recently educated them on how to identify ‘mulch’– anything that will break down into a soft layer of material that can be spread on top of soil to help plants grow.

Volunteers also help to plant, research and label the variety of species and re-organise the garden. They learned how to make a compost bin from chicken wire and support it with sticks fallen from the trees, which was a good lesson in sustainable practice. They also decorated the plant pots with cheerful designs. Last week the volunteers were joined by a friendly local dog called Sparky who helped to provide entertainment while they worked.

Visiting Wildflower Alley gives students a chance to detox from their studies and spend time outdoors in a healthy green space, while also giving back to society in a fun way.

Homework Clubs Training

Our newest cohort of Homework Clubs volunteers gathered on Wednesday 22 January for an introductory training session to prepare them for their new role supporting children and young people with their homework. SU Homework Clubs works in partnerships with multiple Community/Youth Centres and Schools based in areas of educational underachievement throughout Belfast, where our students provide valuable support to local children as well as gaining worthwhile experience themselves.

Our students were assigned to their new club and met other students that they will be volunteering with throughout the Semester. Vivienne, who co-ordinates Homework Clubs, welcomed everyone to the session and told them about the aims of the programme, to support children to improve their study skills, build confidence and raise their aspirations about Further and Higher Education. Alicia, SU Volunteer intern, gave a short talk on her experience of volunteering for Homework Clubs and advice for incoming volunteers.

Dr Jennifer Roberts, Senior Lecturer in Education at the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, presented a session on ‘Tips for Tutoring and Managing Behaviour’ based on her years of experience in education. Students benefited from her insight on engaging with children, breaking down and explaining complex concepts and encouraging them to maintain concentration to complete Homework tasks. Jennifer also highlighted the importance of participation in programmes such as Homework Clubs for students wishing to gain experience for future careers in Teaching and other job supporting children and young people.

Phil Stewart and Rhiannon McStocker from Queen’s Widening Participation Unit also joined the group to facilitate an awareness session on ‘Safeguarding Children & Young People’. They prepped volunteers on what to do if they have a concern that a child may be in a vulnerable situation. They also discussed strategies on how to support children while also protecting themselves, to ensure our student volunteers are confident and prepared for their role.

The Training session ended with the co-ordinators of our partner clubs arriving to meet their new volunteers for a brief club Induction. Everyone enjoyed pizza from the Union Bar and got to have a chat about their individual club to finish of a very fun and informative day.

There are specialised training sessions for Homework Clubs volunteers taking place later this Semester and we really look forward to hearing about the amazing work our students are doing for children in the local community.

Ulster Museum Taster Session

On Wednesday 29 January, a group of students with an interest in history and heritage attended a taster session at the Discovery Centre at Ulster Museum. The centre tells stories about time periods and the natural landscape through objects, by allowing visitors to directly interact with the artifacts that are usually behind glass in the main museum. There are three sections – Art, History, and Nature – which hold replicas of actual items in the museum or multiples of the same item.

The students met with Emma, Helen and Jackie who explained the variety of volunteering opportunities available at Ulster Museum, from event support to archiving and photography. Jackie then produced a set of artifacts that the students could look at, hold, and try to guess the significance of. A selection of colourful rocks turned out to be gemstones left over from a volcanic explosion and a woven bracelet was revealed to be a Victorian memento made of human hair to remember a loved one, so there was no shortage of surprises! The students were particularly interested in a ceramic blue bug that was a replica of an Ancient Egyptian model called the ‘scarab’ that represented the dung beetle sacred to their culture.

It was very interesting to discover how much small objects can tell about a particular time or place and it sparked the students’ interest in volunteering in an environment that celebrates creativity and storytelling. Ulster Museum has opportunities for anyone with an interest in the world around them from any course or pathway.

SU Christmas Tree Light Switch-On

The Festive Season has officially begun at the Students' Union with our bright lights turning on for the first time on Thursday 28 November. Our Christmas trees, sprigs of holly, Santa and elves are decking every corner of the building with even our signature rubber ducks dressed up in red for the festive season!

SU Volunteer held an arts and crafts session to get students involved and settled in to watch the celebrations. Our tables, decorated with Christmas wrapping paper, were full of students taking a break from the busy exam and assignment season to be creative, making Christmas trees from yard sticks and bobbles, using festive-themed colouring books and adding their creations to our comic strips – which have been brightened up with several trees, candy canes, presents, stars and reindeer! Students also contributed to our ‘Positivitree’ by writing positive and kind messages on brown labels and hanging them on the tree for others to read and take home if they wish.

The QUB student-led hockey team, in their Santa hats, gave a dance performance with their hockey sticks in tow, which provided good entertainment for the artists at our table! The Christian Union then arrived with the best of their singers and an amazing pianist to sing beautiful Christmas carols from the steps of the SU. With everyone now successfully in the festive spirit, the students played a game of pass the parcel with sparkling balloons to decide who would get the honour of switching on the lights. They threw the balloons from person to person while Christmas music played in the background and the lucky people holding it when the music stopped received a present. The last student to be left with the balloon got to join the SU president beside our big Christmas tree and after a countdown, by the group gathered, pressed the button to turn on the colourful lights across the SU. With the dark evenings coming in earlier as students head to and from the library in one of their busiest times of year, hopefully the lights can give them some cheer and excitement for the Christmas season.

Hope 4 Life World Kindness Day

To celebrate World Kindness Day on Wednesday 13 November 2024, our Handy Helpers volunteers teamed up with Hope 4 Life NI, a mental health charity focusing on prevention and early intervention by promoting positive wellbeing. Nadia, Youth Development Director for Hope 4 Life, met with the volunteers and provided ribbon-tied bags full of lollipops of all different colours and flavours. Attached to each lollipop were cheerful messages written by children from primary schools across NI that participate in Hope 4 Life’s programmes. Some of the childrens’ words of wisdom included:

• “Be yourself, everybody else is already taken. Plus, you’re great!”
• “You are loved, don’t worry about the haters”
• “You are enough! When you feel sad or think you did a bad thing remember all the good things that make you feel AMAZING!”
• “You’re worth it!”

The volunteers visited different places across campus to hand out the lollipops to students. They put bright smiles on lots of faces in the Student’s Union, outside the McClay Library, in Botanic Gardens and around University Street. The students were all delighted to read the lovely messages on their treats. Many people did not know it was World Kindness Day and were eager to hear more. The volunteers explained to anyone curious about Hope 4 Life’s campaigns, especially their Uberheroes Kindness Awards, a programme that celebrates the achievements of children who have shown kindness to others. A QR code was included on each lollipop that people could scan to nominate a child for the awards if they so wished.

Amie, a Handy Helper, said of the day that “it was a really worthwhile and fun activity. I was a bit nervous about going up to people to hand out the lollipops, but everyone was so happy and surprised. It put me in a good mood, and I really realised how nice and friendly people can be to each other and how small things can make your day.”

The Handy Helpers look forward to spreading more smiles around campus in the future.