By Benjamin Millar
More than 300 Victoria University staff and student volunteers rolled up their sleeves last Friday as part of VU’s annual volunteering blitz.
Now in its eighth year, V4U Day drew volunteers from all VU campuses and areas of study to help out on 26 projects across Melbourne’s western suburbs.
Volunteers helped to paint, clean, craft, garden and more, joining with partners including AMES, Red Cross, Amnesty International, the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and local schools and aged care homes.
Nawaf Kandeerally spent the day helping fix up old bikes at the Footscray Community Bike Shed, a Rotary-run project repairing donated bicycles to provide for free to children and those most in need.
“This is such an amazingly positive and rewarding event, it is a very good thing to give back to the community,” he said.
The second year bachelor of business student enjoyed last year’s V4U Day so much he was keen to be back on board again as a team leader.
“Being an international student, it’s good to get involved and get experience in the Australian environment,” he said.
“Volunteering is good for learning time management and skills and a great way to build friendships.”
Meanwhile, VU Polytechnic will tonight present its inaugural Charity Dinner, a degustation menu prepared by renowned chefs Ian Curley and Todd Moses working alongside cookery and hospitality students.
All profits will be donated to the anti-bullying Brodie’s Law Foundation.
VU has also turned its attention to helping students cope with exams and final assignments.
This week’s Stress Less Festival includes a technology-driven ‘scream booth’ and ‘therapy dogs’ visiting the Footscray Park library.
