The community project, led by Jackie Thompson, Head of English as a Foreign Language (EFL), was established around four years ago as an alternative to traditional curriculum activities such as physical education.
Talking about the project, Jackie expressed: “Not everyone wants to do sports…this is a place for people whose ‘thing’ is different.”
Jackie, alongside her students, actively seeks out local groups needing support, finding them suitable volunteering opportunities, as well as remotely supporting national and international organisations from the school.
When asked what she finds most rewarding about the initiative, Jackie shared, “It’s those moments when students turn around and say, ‘It’s nice giving, isn’t it, Miss?’ or ‘I never thought it would be this much fun.’” Seeing their genuine enjoyment and sense of fulfilment is incredibly rewarding.
Every Wednesday afternoon, students in Year 11 and above are allowed to volunteer for two hours. Their activities include litter-picking, performing for social groups, assembling winter care packs, and much more.
They also assist community initiatives such as Ripponden in Bloom by planting hedges and cleaning baskets that older members of the group might otherwise struggle with.
Additionally, the students have also continually supported local charity Focus4Hope with their Christmas hamper campaign, supporting those in the community facing food insecurity.
Most recently, the group were making felt purses for Give… A Few Words, a Community Interest Company (CIC) based in Kirklees that collaborates with care homes, charities, voluntary organisations, and individuals facing solitude across Calderdale and Kirklees.
Community Journalists Jordan Baker and Jack Prince visited to learn more about the positive impact these young volunteers are making.
Using their mobile phones, the students accessed Google Classroom to follow step-by-step instructions on crafting the purses — The same platform was previously used by the group to create presentations about social media and mobile phone applications to help older adults navigate modern technology.
Among the students, their accomplishments are numerous, but one of their most notable achievements was assembling over 1,000 winter care packs for VAC (Voluntary & Community), with just ten students.
Invited by Kate Hornby, Link Officer (ESV and Corporate Volunteering Lead) at VAC, Jackie and her students helped assemble the care packs, which are given to local voluntary groups to distribute to those in need in their communities as temperatures drop. This year, the packs included essential items to help local people stay healthy, warm, and hydrated.
“It was intense. But it’s nice to know you’re helping a lot,” said one student. “Everyone shouldn’t be forced to do sports, and it’s nice to have this opportunity”, added another.
One student, whose favourite subjects are art and music, had the opportunity to lead a djembe drumming session at Our Place, a local community group for the elderly and socially isolated in Boothtown.
This hands-on experience not only benefited the residents but also allowed the students to develop their leadership and communication skills.
For many, the most meaningful part of volunteering is visiting local care homes.
Sometimes the students provide light entertainment, but often their visits are simply about offering companionship. They recounted how easy it is to lose track of time in conversation, chatting for hours and expressing how kind, funny, and engaging the residents are.
“That was my first activity as a volunteer, and it felt really fulfilling,” said one student.
Another student added, “We went in with an open mind and had lots of fun experiences.”
The group also highlighted how volunteering has helped them develop important social skills, while boarding students, in particular, mentioned that it has been invaluable for improving their English language abilities.
One student, passionate about arts and crafts, spoke about their ambition to become an engineer and how the opportunity to create handmade gifts as part of their volunteering has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of their week.
Above all, it was evident that students involved with Rishworth’s community project are a group of intelligent, creative, and compassionate young people who not only enjoy volunteering but also deeply understand the priceless value it brings to the community.
