Wanna start volunteering. Here’s some ways giving back on Bradley’s Campus.
Learn how to get involved with volunteering on Bradley campus.
( Volunteering organization at Bradley University called Serve. Photo from Serve Instagram)
What is Volunteering mean? And why get involved?
For many volunteering can be a lot of different things. Not everyone has the same definition of volunteering. Some people don’t even know what it means to volunteer or get involved with volunteering.
Volunteering is when you take time to give back or help other people without being paid. Taking time out to volunteer can help connect you with other people. It can also help you connect more with the community. Volunteering can be for anyone no matter how old or young, you can always get into volunteering.
Volunteering is known to have many benefits for not only yourself but the people that you are helping out. As Health direct has stated, it could bring more purpose and meaning to one’s life. And help relieve emotions like stress.
Doing more research about volunteering and where you can start is a great way to get started. Looking up different organizations or opportunities that may be around you in your community.
Volunteering in college
On a college campus there are many ways to get involved with different groups and organizations. Especially at Bradley. There are so many different ways for students to be engaged on campus.
One way to be more involved is to get involved with volunteering or giving back to the community. Volunteering can also help you join other organization like Honor Societies, Fraternities and sororities that you need community service hours to join.
Volunteering as a Student
Students have used volunteering as a way to not only give back but also express themselves. Volunteering has gave them something to do and made them better as students.
“ Community service has helped me get to know different groups of people and make me feel fortunate for what I have and the life I live. It has motivated me to help others and give back to communities that helped me. “ said newly student body president Adalia yeung.
Volunteering helps students feel more involved in their community and make it where they feel they can help in their own ways. It can also just give students something to do.
Many students like and want to volunteer but don't know where to start or where to go. Here are some of the organizations on Bradley campus that can help you get into volunteering.
Serve on Saturday
SERVE is an organization that gives Bradley students different opportunities to help build relationships within the community while providing service to meet the community needs. Serve also strives to help students develop leadership skills and create civic responsibility in Bradley students by giving them opportunities of leadership through community service.
“ Serves on Saturdays are open to everyone. we put big yard signs, flyers going around and social media post with a QR codes on them just to sign up; but even if you don’t sign up you can walk in.
we’ll place you where ever they need help. Even if you can’t do Saturdays, we do have special events, which is typically throughout the week later in the evening “ said Miracle, one of the Co-Coordinators.
Before every Serve on Saturday, there is a brief meeting with the executive board. Giving information about where the sites that everyone is going to, how many people should be attending, transportation and who site leaders will be.
To be a site leader, all you have to do is attend Serve on Saturdays and show your interest in being a leader.
Miracle gives advice about a way to show your interest “ asking if they need setting up or what are they doing in the future. If you start asking those questions, we would most likely pop the question like, hey do you wanna become a site leader”.
Serve partner with many different communities in the Peoria Area. They work with different organizations or Non-Profits that can use the extra set of hands.
They have worked with South Side Mission, Wildlife Prairie Park, Heartis village, and more.
If you have any question or interested in Serve, you can visit their Instagram.
ESA
Another organization that all about giving back and sense of community is ESA. Also know as Epsilon Sigma Alpha. ESA is a service sorority that any girl can be a part of. It gives the opportunity to connect with other girls like them. Girls who like to giving back and stepping into that leadership role.
“ we do all types of community service. You can go out and literally do whatever you want. “ said Ms. Yeung. She also recommended people to check Facebook and to volunteer with other service group.
Bu-Clean Up Crew
Another organization that is involved in volunteering on Bradley’s campus is BU clean up crew. They are a group dedicated to helping make the community look like a better place. They pick up trash off the streets around the Bradley campus area.
BU clean up crew meets every Tuesday at 5:30 and Fridays at 9:00am.
Anyone is able to be part of this organization.
There are also different opportunities in the community to volunteer. Like with churches, they have various soup kitchen and clothes drives. You can also do research about what type of community service you would like to participate in.