Students from across our health and social care courses travelled to Greece to support ‘Movement on the Ground’, a programme that supports refugee children, adults, and families. The organisation works in refugee camps to provide better and safer environments for people who have been displaced from their homes. 

We spoke with two students, Tom, an Adult Nursing student, and Raved, a Paramedic Science student who shared their experiences of supporting refugees to develop skills and access learning opportunities. 

What we did 

Tom: “We assisted the United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugees agency by providing essential improvements to living conditions - anything from a broken door to providing safety through security and lighting. We supported learning opportunities and general life skills, no two days were the same.”

Raved: “I supported educational activities including Maths and English. I also helped make improvements to sports equipment. Our overall goal was to improve the safety of the camp.”

How we developed on the programme 

Tom: “I gained experience and skills in areas such as leadership, creativity and accountability. As an Adult Nursing student, these skills help to build your confidence and show you are capable of more than you realise.”

Raved: “My experience improved my confidence and I developed skills such as teamwork and leadership that have proven useful in my work as a paramedic.”

Why we volunteered 

Tom: “It was the unknown, I didn't know what to expect. I wanted to use the skills I’d gained at university and on placement to assist with humanitarian crises and develop my understanding of the challenges minority groups face.”

Raved: “I volunteered on the programme to improve my confidence and push myself out of my comfort zone.”

Why you should volunteer

Raved: “I would definitely recommend volunteering as it may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you. Volunteering allowed me to better understand the lived experiences of refugees.”

Our future goals

Tom: “My future ambition is to become a humanitarian nurse working abroad.”

Raved: “Currently, I am working as a paramedic in Sheffield. However, my future ambitions are to work on cruise ships and in other countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Canada.”