COLLEGE NEWS: Students get creative for volunteering charity

GRAPHIC design students at Yeovil College University Centre have been getting creative to help local charity, SPARK, to promote the benefits of volunteering during National Volunteers’ Week.

SPARK run the local Volunteer Service and work with hundreds of charities and community groups across Somerset to offer a wide range of volunteering opportunities.

Manager of Spark, Katherine Nolan, said: “Whether you are interested in developing your skills, meeting new people, improving your confidence or supporting a cause that is close to your heart, we can find something that is right for you.

“Volunteering is a really great thing to do, whatever your age or situation and we asked the students at Yeovil College if they could use their skills to help us promote this important message.”

Students were given a brief to develop a social media campaign and the Spark team met with the students several times during the design process to give feedback and help develop their campaigns.

After much deliberation, SPARK chose Dani Millward's #BEASPARK campaign to run during National Volunteers’ Week.

Kerry Wills, communications officer at SPARK, said: “We chose the #BEASPARK campaign because it communicates a really important message - there is more to volunteering than you might think.

“You don’t have to commit every week, or even every month. There are options that can fit into our busy lifestyles.

“There’s also a huge range of things you can do, that can reflect your own interests. On our website, we have lots of opportunities from photography to dog walking, sports coaching to chef – all for the benefit of your local community.”

Student Jake Rimmer said: “Working with a charity has been a really valuable experience. The work has engaged us and allowed us to tackle a brand new brief, with a new perspective and respect for the voluntary sector.”

Adrian Ponter, the curriculum area manager for creative industries at Yeovil College University Centre, said: “On the Foundation Degree Arts in Graphic Design the students develop much needed industry skills such as creative problem solving, project working and creative software skills.

“Working with SPARK on this real brief challenged and enabled all the students to refine and extend these skills related to advertising and branding.

“All the students created fantastic ideas including social media campaigns, which will be used and seen throughout our local and regional community.

“It was an excellent project, which will lead onto further collaboration between SPARK and Yeovil College University Centre’s graphic design students.”

To find out about the latest volunteering opportunities and to see the campaign, go to www.sparksomerset.org.uk  or follow Spark on Facebook and Twitter.

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