Helen McGlashan

I volunteer as a Learning Champion for the Lifelong Learning Centre at the University of Leeds. I have been a Learning Champion since 2017, when I started my Foundation Degree.

I graduated in July 2023 but still volunteer, as I'm currently completing my MA in Special Educational Needs.

How I volunteer

A call goes out to the Learning Champion team, requesting us to speak about our University experience at events such as open days on campus, community events (summer galas), GCSE Maths and English revision sessions.

The sessions I attend can be in person or online via Teams, during the day, evenings or on weekends. So I'm able to work it around my work and study schedule.

A journey into university

I volunteer as a Learning Champion as I’m passionate about enabling others –  whose school experience may not have been the greatest – to get back into education.

I left high school without an O level or CSE (a long time ago). I felt I had always struggled, but I went on to do many things in my life, ending up as a Police Constable for 12 years. That was my dream job, as I had always wanted to work in the police. Unfortunately, in 2016 I needed to medically retire. It was a difficult decision, but I knew I had to leave the job. 

[Volunteering] is my way of paying it forward to someone who may just need one conversation to help make a step in a new direction.

While attending Leeds City College for my Maths and English GCSEs and my Teaching Assistant Level 2 and Level 3, two women came to speak about the Lifelong Learning Centre and asked what we wanted to do next.

Had we thought about University? I was instantly interested. All my questions, including doubts and barriers, were put at ease. I attended a careers appointment and within two weeks I had a conditional offer in place.

Overcoming challenges

My first year was tricky, adjusting to working and writing in an academic way – and my grades weren’t great – but I was passing. One tutor recognised that what I was saying in discussions was not always coming across in my writing. 

That’s when I attended a Dyslexia assessment. It came back that I had dyslexia and dyspraxia. It was a relief. Everything began to make sense. The stress of report writing in the police, needing more time to process a question before formulating an answer. The stress seemed to lift. 

I decided that I would sign up as a Learning Champion as a way of saying thank you. I was thriving and absolutely loving my University experience. I hoped that I would meet some new people and maybe improve my public speaking too.

Reasons to volunteer

It is funny but I don’t consider what I am doing as volunteering, I don’t have time to volunteer! It is my way of paying it forward to someone who may just need one conversation with me to help make a step in a new direction.

There have been ups and downs but I think being honest with people helps me and my wellbeing. I feel more confident when I’m speaking, despite getting a bit nervous in front of a room full of people. I have met lots of new people, both current students and prospective students.

By sharing my experience it may offer someone hope that they can move forward with their life too.

I enjoy the sessions I speak at, but I am most proud when I have spoken about my experience and I get a round of applause from the room, or someone puts a nice comment in the chat. I also feel a bit awkward because I am not very good with praise.

Supporting each other

I get a lot of support from the Lifelong Learning staff involved in the community partnership side of things, and they have been understanding when I’ve had to pull out of an event due to illness, or when I don’t do so many events due to University commitments. It is also a lighter commitment (it is not every week) so it is manageable for me.

I feel that by volunteering with the Lifelong Learning Centre I am able to give back to them, for all the support I have received. By sharing my experience it may offer someone hope that they can move forward with their life too.

More information about volunteering

Read more student profiles about volunteering
Find out more about volunteering opportunities as a student at Leeds

If you’re a not-for-profit organisation in Leeds that would benefit from student volunteers, email the Volunteering Team at volunteer@leeds.ac.uk