Cambridge students give charities time to finish useful projects

Local charities and community teams in Cambridge have gained something often in short supply: time to finish useful projects. This summer, 25 students spent six weeks volunteering full-time with 19 civic organisations.

At Cambridge Acorn Project, Rosalind Howell created three months of accessible social-media content, video interviews and templates to explain support to families. At Cambridge United Foundation, Sonny Hastie helped with fundraising events and community programmes.

The Laidlaw scholarships cover travel, food and accommodation, so host organisations do not bear those costs. King’s E-Lab’s programme guidance says eligible undergraduates can apply from all 29 undergraduate colleges and any subject, bringing different skills into local work.

These accounts describe completed tasks and staff experiences, rather than an independent measure of long-term benefits for residents. Six-week placements also depend on hosts investing time in students.

Still, the help has left resources teams can keep using. For organisations stretched by daily demands, a bank of clear information or a better way to record results can make the next job easier.

Sources

• University of Cambridge — summer placements and host accounts
• King’s E-Lab — programme funding, eligibility and structure