Student volunteers helping preserve the University’s history

National student volunteer week - Passion. Opportunity. Change.

Elizabeth and Stefany Limanto are sisters and arrived in Australia from Indonesia in February this year.  After settling into their University degrees, they decided to join a volunteer program. They attended an information session and picked the University Library volunteer program as the right one for them. Elizabeth is studying psychology and Stefany biomedical science. “This volunteer program is not related to our degrees, but we can still learn new skills that will impact our careers. It is a great way to learn about the University and the past of the University and Australia”, says Stefany.

This year’s theme for National student volunteer week is ‘Passion. Opportunity. Change.’ This explores how students can create change worldwide by giving their time to a cause they believe in. “We wanted to give back to the community, and volunteering is a great way to do it. Also, you get to meet new people, not just students, but people of all ages”, Elizabeth says.

When thinking about volunteering as a student, Stefany and Elizabeth’s biggest piece of advice is “do not feel pressure to do it and find something that you would enjoy doing”. They also add that flexibility is a must when choosing a volunteer program.

Eight students currently volunteer in the University Library program. Some of their responsibilities are digitising and handling historical material with care, and they must be able to demonstrate attention to detail. University Librarian Sian Woolcock shares that “we are absolutely delighted to welcome student volunteers within the library as they bring a range of skills and experiences to our program. We hope in return they gain valuable work experience skills in an area they may not be familiar with. The Library volunteer program helps us preserve the history of the University whilst making our collections available to a worldwide audience.”

Students are welcome to apply to the University Library program. For more information please email us.