Project case studies
OxGrow
Over the academic year 2010-11, four students at the University of Oxford worked in conjunction with community partners to establish OxGrow, the city’s first edible community garden. The project grew out of the Green Project run by Oxford Hub Community Volunteering, and the inspiration that students had
received from attending Oxford Hub’s events on climate change and sustainability.
Crank-it-up
Crank-it-up is a charity that promotes and encourages cycling and sport by people with disabilities, elderly people, and anyone else who wishes to gain the health and social benefits of active exercise by cycling. With the support of the UCAN Student Volunteering Project at the University of Bradford and the Bradford Volunteer Centre the charity has created a number of new volunteering roles. It is also increasing its Internet presence and volunteers are helping with Ebay type online promotion and sales. The charity has a new shop at Bradford University Student Central which teaches cycling proficiency and maintenance to students, loans and repairs bicycles and sells them at low cost to students. Young offenders, the homeless and young people with challenging behaviour also benefit.
CATSS
Children Achieving through Student Support (CATSS) is a student led project based within Durham University Student Community Action. The project takes over 20 'at risk' young children from across County Durham on a series of day trips, and a week long residential holiday during the Easter holidays. For many children the week is an opportunity to experience many different activities such as arts and crafts, rock-climbing, swimming, sports, and even a Maori 'Haka' workshop. Equally important is how the project provides a stable space for children to just play and make friends.
Digitally Maintained
Digitally Maintained is a social enterprise that provides free technical support to our customers (individuals, small companies and charities) with any device or system, all provided by student and graduate volunteers who are gaining real world work experience in technical troubleshooting and customer liaison. Students come from various universities including Loughborough, Surry, Southampton Solent, City, Queen Mary and the University of Maryland in the USA. It is a relatively new project and has only been going since July 2011.
