Student Volunteering Cardiff
Student Volunteering Cardiff (SVC) is a registered UK charity run by students at Cardiff University in Wales, UK. It is the largest university student volunteering charity in the UK with approximately some 900 volunteers. Students volunteer in and around the city of Cardiff working with the elderly, young, disadvantaged and vulnerable members of the community. The mission of SVC is to enhance the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable members of the local community2.
The charity is situated in the university Students' Union. There are permanent staff together with the 10 students of Cardiff University that act as trustees and oversee the charity's work and development.
History
Student volunteering in Cardiff can be traced back to 1969 when students at the university became volunteers at Ely Hospital, a hospital for people who had learning disabilities. Students provided support that enabled the people to develop skills both social and practical and gain in confidence. Volunteers subsequently went on to set up the first Supported House in the country. In 1971 Student Community Action (SCA) was formed by students of Cardiff University; as a student-led charity the organisation focused its areas of work with the disadvantaged adults and children of Cardiff. In 2001 the opportunity arose for the formation of a partnership of the Innovate Trust student volunteering project and SCA. This led to one of the largest student volunteering organisations in the country. Supported by the University Union and Innovate Trust and funded by several organisations, the formation of Student Volunteering Cardiff (SVC) allowed the vision of the original students of both organisations to be carried forward to benefit further generations of Cardiff people.
References
1. Student Volunteering Cardiff Mission statement
