“By participating in student volunteering activities, I can not only practice communication, problem-solving, planning, and other skills from a personal perspective but also, more importantly, gain a sense of satisfaction after successfully helping others.”
Kang Liu, Student Volunteer
National Student Volunteer Week 2024 (NSVW) is coordinated and delivered nationally by Volunteering Queensland since 2013, acknowledging and celebrating student volunteers, and promoting volunteering to students and young people across Australia.
We are sharing some interviews with some of our amazing students making a difference to their peers and the wider community through volunteering.
As part of our LIVE in NSW Initiative, we support volunteers at the Study NSW International Student Welcome Desks at Sydney and Newcastle Airports. These students explained to us what they enjoyed most about studying in Sydney, the benefits they have experienced from volunteering and how they’ve been able to make a difference in welcoming fellow students.
This year’s NSVW theme is Generation Impact which we truly believe our student volunteers embody wholeheartedly. If your role involves international student support at your university, we’d love to see how we can leverage volunteering to enrich the study journey.
Meet Kang!
Area of Study: Bachelor of Computer Science and Commerce
Country of Origin: China
Institution University of NSW
Hours Volunteered: 78
Kang’s tip for international students:
If I could go back in time, I wish I had known more about Australian slang before I set off so I wouldn’t have to open Google when chatting with friends!
Why did you choose to study in NSW?
Initially, I was attracted by the excellent reputation of the universities located in NSW, such as USYD and UNSW. Additionally, I was exposed to numerous stories about Sydney when I was a kid, and it fuelled my preference for studying in NSW.
What has been your favourite part of the experience?
I really enjoy the diverse culture in NSW. I can communicate with many different groups, learn about many customs I didn’t know before and broaden my horizons. This was difficult for me to achieve before coming to NSW.
How have you gotten involved in volunteering?
I previously participated in the Australian Business Essentials program organized by UNSW, which recommended several volunteer projects and guided us on how to start our volunteer career.
What have you gained from your volunteering experience?
By participating in volunteer activities, I can not only practice communication, problem-solving, planning, and other skills from a personal perspective but also, more importantly, gain a sense of satisfaction after successfully helping others. Participating in student volunteering activities has also helped me broaden my social network, and I have made many like-minded friends.
Where do you see yourself going in the future?
I will try different types of volunteering activities and see what I can contribute to the community.
Communiteer is partnering with Study NSW for our LIVE in NSW Initiative. This involves the design and delivery of student volunteering programs and support services to create a holistic experience for international students.
Enhance the experience and outcomes for international students studying in NSW, and strengthen the international education system.
- Personalised experience for international students
- Practical & purposeful use of time
- Established programs, ready to scale
- Cost-effective, co-contribution model
