Yumi Tsang (Ba in History and International Relations, 2023) has been volunteering in her spare time with CoachBright, an educational charity focused on helping students from low-socio economic backgrounds succeed in school. In this blog Yumi discusses her experience of being a CoachBright Coach. 

At first, I wanted to start volunteering in a new city, but I had no idea where to begin. Then, I came across CoachBright through the LSE Volunteering Centre. I was not particularly looking for any tutoring opportunities, however, I did more research about CoachBright. I found out the organisation’s vision very inspiring – to promote social mobility from an educational perspective. To me, it is a privilege to be educated in LSE. Therefore, this is an opportunity to give back to the community, to those who do not have the chance to receive adequate educational support.

My experience with CoachBright was meaningful and worthwhile. One from my experience is that I developed a great bond with my coachee, Marshall. He was shy and reserved at first. But, as time went on, we built a positive and trusting relationship. The process was rewarding because I saw how he improved slowly but surely.

On top of that, I was coaching English Literature, which was one of my favourite subjects in school. Therefore, it did not feel too stressful to prepare for my session. In terms of skills development, I think volunteering with CoachBright will boost your confidence as there are lots of opportunities to meet new people, both tutors and students. In fact, I have made many incredible friends outside of university because of CoachBright.

Regarding the workload, I do not think that it will take up much of your time. As long as you bring enthusiasm and patience into the classroom, I am certain that your students will receive it in a positive way.

Overall, I highly recommend working with CoachBright. If you have no idea how/where to start volunteering, CoachBright is a wonderful place to begin. The staff are friendly and passionate, and they will certainly guide you from the beginning.

If Yumi has inspired you to volunteer, check out one of our other ongoing opportunities or book a one-to-one with David Coles, the Volunteer Centre Manager if you have more questions. And why not follow us on Twitter, and Instagram to stay up-to-date with our events and opportunities and read our blog for more volunteering tips and stories.