…And that’s it

Hello Everybody,

Things are as hectic as ever in the vTeam office! Things are changing rapidly, Bianca left us last week to go on to bigger and better things, Alexandra and Ian are gone too, and in the next two weeks Vicky and Sinziana leave too and it will be just me for a few weeks :(.

I have gone on enough about how great they all were though and it is time to move on, I wish them all the best of luck in the next chapter of their lives and hope that we will stay in touch though. Blogging over the summer will be more infrequent, probably twice a week. I will have a new frontrunner working with me from the beginning of July, and between the two of us we will be doing all we can to prepare for the New Year and term 1. I will be helping out on the summer ball site, interviewing frontrunners for the Autumn Term, running sessions at the sports and societies training day, attending meetings in Birmingham and London and squeezing in a week off between now and then though.  I am already hard at work on the Freshers campaign looking at how we are going to get people up to speed with everything vTeam when they arrive at Essex, I am also working on running a mini sports event with 5 local primary schools on the 27^th June to celebrate 1 month to go before the start of London 2012. If you are around on that day and can help out please email me.

We have at least two new projects for next term (or so it seems at the moment) the Origami Project which will teach Origami as an after school club on a weekly basis and Global Voices which is an old name which we are giving to a new project. Global Voices will see volunteers going into Primary Schools to work with years 5+6 to teach them some basics in a range of different languages. We are looking for volunteers who speak Chinese, Arabic and Spanish to make themselves known to us so that we can set up sessions to start in November at Montgomery Junior School. I am also eagerly awaiting the arrival of a new vTeam Video which Ian and Vicky worked on last year and finishing off work Bianca and I have done for a 60 second Guide to vTeam.

It’s not all about Freshers though, we still have to keep all you lovely people who are in your 1^st and 2^nd year now involved next year and keep the projects varied enough to keep you interested, the challenge in this role is to constantly try and reinvent vTeam without changing the core principles of what we do to ensure that we offer enough variety for our longstanding members.

That’s it from me, I will be volunteering to help out on the summer ball site next week and so I will try and blog from there. If you still have exams I hope they go well, and if you are done, relax and have a Mojito!

Thank you!

At the beginning of the year, I suggested the idea of a thank you video. We would film everyone that vTeam and our volunteers had helped throughout the year. Then at the end of the year, we could edit them all together into what would be a hopefully inspiring and motivational video.

I am very proud to be showing the thank you video on the blog today! It is thanks to all the fantastic volunteers that vTeam were able to help. I hope you enjoy watching the video as much as we enjoyed filming it and doing the work to deserve those thank you’s.

Enjoy!

Bianca

Something to inspire

Today’s Saturday post features a few inspirational quotes sent to us by some of the brilliant volunteers that are a part of vTeam. Enjoy!

“Having the opportunity to teach primary school children was a fantastic experience…I will be looking forward to doing the same thing next year” – Sang Le

“I’ve done over 60 hours of volunteering this year and not just with vTeam. I think it’s great that they recognise all volunteering. Student Volunteering Week was loads of fun and I wish I’d taken part in more vTeam things this year” – Katie Rogers

“Working with the vTeam was absolutely brilliant! I got to acquire loads of skills and each session was a new experience!” – Louis Kolodziej

“It’s good to know one’s work is appreciated. You really made my day.” – Carmina Telpesel

“Working with the vTeam has been a fantastic experience. I always wanted to get involved but didn’t think I could fit it in around my studies. I’m so glad I decided to turn up to the first one-off, and many after that, I’ll be doing it all again next year!” – Mario Fereira

Bianca’s last post!

My last official post for the vTeam blog is today. I’ve scheduled a few beauties in though so keep visiting back. There’s an AWESOME post coming out on Sunday that is truly inspiring and will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside in the midst of exam season.

I don’t really know what to say, to be honest. I don’t actually want to say goodbye to my job at vTeam, especially not this week when absolutely nobody in the office. Sinziana and Victoria have taken the week off due to exams (I had my first on the 23rd and it was terrifying but I think it went okay). Next one isn’t for a while though. Ian and Alexandra finished work a little while ago and Keith has taken a much needed, and well deserved, week off. Which leaves me in the office forced to answer phones and pretend I know what I’m doing when people come in and ask me questions. It’s a sad way to leave which means I’ll be forced to come back to say a proper goodbye! Songs will be included.

It’s been a great experience and I had no idea I would love working for vTeam as much as I did. I’ve been trying to figure out ways that I can hold on for a just a little longer but alas they accept only students and I’ll be graduating (fingers crossed) come July. I am incredibly jealous of whoever gets to take my place as it’s a brilliant opportunity and I wish the future Media Frontrunner Plus lots of luck. I’ll be reading the blog to check on vTeam’s progress once I leave the University of Essex.

I am honoured to have been a part of such an awesome team, it’s been hard but fun work and a real learning experience. No, it wasn’t what I initially applied for this time last year but it has definitely been the best rejection I have ever had. Never thought I’d say that. (I was rejected from the job I applied for and recommended for this role which I was interviewed for and got!)

Thank you to everyone who has visited the blog; liked or commented on posts and photos on Facebook; retweeted us; signed up to the newsletter and volunteered!

Have a wonderful summer and good luck with all your exams.

B

Vicky’s short and sweet goodbye!

So, my time to say goodbye has come as well and although it’s sad to think that my experience in vTeam has come to an end, I can enjoy very good memories of it. I’ll spare you cheesy comments, but working in vTeam has truly been fun and inspiring thanks to all the people I’ve met. From the VERY hard-working volunteers, to the funny ones, to all the people who work in the SU office and of course, especially, to Keith and the other frontrunners. All of you made a normal, ordinary time into a memorable time. It’s been good to meet you all and I’ll see you around (I’m actually staying here next year too!)

A goodbye from Sinziana

Hello for the last time,

I actually still have 2 more weeks of work, but theoretically, nobody will still be here to read my blog then, so I must say my goodbye now. But if you have any issues, do come and see me in the office.

Honestly, I am quite afraid to move on from vTeam. I’m afraid there aren’t such inspirational and dedicated managers out there as Keith and such amazing and hard-working groups of people (frontrunners) to be a part of.

Although it feels like a cliché because I’ve said it so many times, I have truly enjoyed my role, responsibilities and duties. I have taken a great pleasure in meeting wonderful people everyday and also in coping with the challenges volunteering brings on.

I am very pleased to have met all of you (volunteers, teachers, managers, SU staff, frontrunners etc) and work with you for almost 9 months now.

Finally, I would like to announce (to the world) I will be heading to Germany next year for my year abroad. So do stop by Konstanz for a coffee (or soda for Keith) to reminisce about this year’s success. Otherwise, I’ll be back for my 4^th year!

Keep in touch,

S

vOscars: Final Part

The final instalment of the vOscars videos. Keith gives a heartfelt speech and keeps Sinziana guessing with the winner of Outstanding Contribution of the Year.

Hopefully you’ve all enjoyed the videos of the vOscars! Next year it’ll be even bigger and better and hopefully we’ll see even more nominees and lots more volunteers there!