Common Good Award caps of GCU graduates volunteer journey

A recent graduate has reflected on her volunteering journey and confidence gained from completing GCU’s Common Good Award.

Maja Mooney only found out she was eligible for the award after attending a GCU Careers Fair in January this year.

Volunteering one day a week with Victim Support Scotland had already provided huge benefits to Maja as a BA (Hons) Social Sciences student.

She explained: “The reason I got into volunteering was to add something to my university experience. I had a bit of free time, so I wanted to make sure I put it to use. I’m really interested in criminology, victims and people who offend – that’s how I got into volunteering with Victim Support Scotland during my second year.

“It was such a cool thing to do. I went to Glasgow Sheriff Court and would sit in the Witness Room and help people in need. I was also involved in providing support over the telephone – which was really nice because it involved working with the person over a longer period of time. The fact I had the chance to do something like this while still being a student was just amazing for me.”

The Common Good Award, also known as the GCU Skills Award, is ran by GCU’s Careers Service and aims to encourage students to make a positive difference within the local community. It can also provide employers with valuable evidence of the skills, attributes and experience students have gained in addition to their academic studies.

Those looking to get involved can complete the award over the course of their degree, or in Maya’s case, in as little as six months.

Maja said: “I remember hearing about the Common Good Award throughout my degree, so it was nice to find out more at the Careers Fair. I didn’t actually think my volunteering experience would have been enough, but I was surprised to learn that it was!”

The award recognises the learning gained through extracurricular activities, like Maja’s experience volunteering with Victim Support Scotland. Participants simply need to evidence their work through a Digital Story, which involves a personal reflection on their journey, and show how their experience ties into certain Common Good Attributes (Active and Global Citizenship, Confidence, Entrepreneurial Mindset and Responsible Leadership).

Maja said: “I knew I had the appropriate experience, so that definitely helped. Confidence was 100% the easiest one to talk about because I’ve faced quite a few different challenging and emotional situations which have massively improved my confidence.

“I just planned everything out alongside my studies and focused on one attribute per week. I actually really enjoyed doing the Digital Story as well because it allowed me to reflect on the specific things I had done and how my experience tied into the Common Good.”

With graduation behind her and a new career path on the horizon, Maja is pleased she made the decision to complete the Common Good Award and would encourage other GCU students to follow in her footsteps.

She said: “I was really happy when I found out I had completed the award. I was glad I had done it because I was busy with my dissertation and could easily have just put it off. I now have the Common Good Award on my CV and it’s something that always comes up in conversation when I go for jobs. I feel like it’s a receipt to show that I do actually have these skills and qualities. There are massive personal and professional benefits to completing it.”

Maja added: “I would encourage anyone to volunteer with Victim Support Scotland specifically, but any volunteering is beneficial for you. There are so many opportunities through even studying at GCU, such as becoming a Student Rep or getting involved with Glasgow Nightline.

“Volunteering is fun and definitely gives you a sense of pride – and the Common Good Award is the perfect way to receive recognition for your efforts.”

Find out more about the GCU Common Good Award

By Ross Clark
Got an SHLS or GSBS story? Email me at Ross.Clark@gcu.ac.uk or message me on Twitter