Submitted by Danielle Tahan on the 2019 fall semester program in London, England…
This past week, I volunteered with Centrepoint, a UK charity that supports homeless youth. As someone who strongly values service work, I have been lacking in that area of my identity while being abroad. So, I was glad to take the opportunity when CAPA connected me with their Sleep Out Event in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. This event is a fundraising challenge to support youth who are sleeping rough. Individuals and companies participate by raising money and sleeping in a tent for one night. I was able to assist in the set-up of the event, in which we sorted out the sleeping accomodations for the participants. With the power of a set of passionate volunteers, we situated the tarp and hundreds of sleeping bags for the participants.
It is always incredible to witness what a group of dedicated people can accomplish. I was able to reflect on the universal nature of service work, particularly in the area of homelessness. Since homelessness is very prevalent in many countries, there must be a systemic root to this issue. I was particularly interested in getting involved with this event because I have witnessed the extent of the issue while being in London. Unfortunately, because I have been adjusting to all of my other experiences while abroad, I have not acted on the issue. I am encouraged to improve my advocacy with homelessness during the rest of my time here and when I return home. I plan on incorporating the issue of homelessness in my project for CAPA’s Diversity Advocate Program, so I am glad that I gained direct experience through this volunteer event!
Check out Centrepoint’s work here: https://centrepoint.org.uk/
