University of Manchester - Student Volunteering Program - 2021
Ethnic Health Forum has always partnered with the local academic insitututes (colleages and universities) to offer student volunteering opportunities within organisation. In the past, students worked in various roles and at different levels of roles in accomplishing fantastic results. Likewise, this year the Univertsity of Manchester asked for a project for their "Manchester Enterprise Challenege" which combines an academic unit on enterprise with a community project. It allows students to learn about enterprise while putting their skills into practice for a charity or not-for-profit organisation and Ethnic Health Forum was able to attract a group of their Bachelor and Master Students to work collectively in developing and producing Oragnisational Business Plan.This included a survey of current services, particularly in mental health wellbeing, a fundraising strategy, and a focus on digital inclusion policy, especially during the post-COVID-19 environment.
Ethnic Health Forum is thankful for the support of Kirsty Hutchison, Volunteering & Community Engagement Consultant and her colleagues Millie and Debbie in the same department. It was a pleasure working with the young minds of student volunteers who accomplished the final report within the stipulated time in addition to their committment to academic engagements. As part of appreciation, Ethnic Health forum is highlighting the individual profile of students who participated in the program.
Pilar Ruiz Illescac
I am Pilar, and I am a Biotechnology student from The University of Manchester. I joined this project to get some experience in developing a business plan for non-profit organizations. The EHF does a great job helping BAME communities in Manchester, and I liked the idea of helping them become national. The whole time is amazing and supports our group getting the best experience possible due to the current restrictions, and they do the same for all their clients. I was mainly involved in finding new ways to raise awareness about mental health problems and help to fight the stigma associated with them. After undertaking the project, I learn new ways in which we can all do this and the importance of sharing experiences.
Krishna K. Chauhan
Krishna is a college senior at the University of Manchester. For the enterprise challenge he worked alongside the Ethnic Health Forum. “The core value of the senior leadership team at the EHF has been engrained in prioritizing the upliftment of the BAME community and extend its support to the ones in need. The recent undertakings of the EHF demonstrate time and again a social enterprise’s responsibility to engage socially responsible practises – especially during these testing times. EHF’s governance style has now been restructured to suit the organizations niche and stage of development. Ability to communicate effectively with its beneficiaries for a prolonged period of time, with a very personalized and warm demeanour is one of the organizations core strengths. My colleagues acknowledge that EHF is on a fast improvement trajectory and is very close to realizing its impact generation stemming from the Manchester local community to now potentially a national level. I encourage volunteers to serve the EHF, the mentoring I received from the team over the past few months has been invaluable. Wishing EHF, the very best.”
Annabelle Nicholson
My name is Annabelle Nicholson, and I am a Biology student at The University of Manchester. I aim to work in pharmaceuticals post-graduation and was hoping that this task could help me gain some commercial awareness of how organisations function. I have learnt a lot through this journey, including how to collaborate within a team and to communicate well with the charity and university. I also learnt about how obstacles, notable COVID-19, can impact on business success and how to overcome this. It has been a pleasure working with the Ethnic Health Forum staff, and it has been a great experience!