Category Archives: Culture Connect

Culture Connect, Employability, Social activities

Culture Connect – Learning through sharing

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This cross-cultural peer mentoring scheme helps new students settle into university life and meet friends from around the world.

 Why you should become a mentee or mentor10624034_621729487949167_3968149411432827670_o
This is a great opportunity to

  • get to know someone through a one-to-one supportive mentoring relationship10696446_879239468827488_1952846535411266251_n
  • develop your cultural awareness and learn about different traditions
  • attend social activities 10869791_1497190377235594_3073432112637297150_o(organised by Global Community, a Students’ Union Society) and regular soft skills training with other members
  • prepare for work in diverse organisations and add to your CV
  • gain eligibility for the H  allam Award which is recognised by employers

Additional support
You will also be allocated to a learning set – a small, intimate group of mentees or mentors of different nationalities which enables you to gain a wide range of perspectives. You can discuss challenges and share helpful advice during your time on the scheme.

Join today – visit the Culture Connect Facebook page.

What our members say
Mentees
‘You get a friend who walks along with you as you get to know about life at university. I now have many friends and I feel fully integrated in the university.’
Judith Khamoni from Kenya

‘It breaks down all the fears that many people feel today due to lack of understanding of cultural differences and language barriers. It embraces these differences and you have the chance to make friends, try new things and experience a new point of view. You are always learning something.’
Katrina Love from Britain

Mentors
‘Culture Connect helps me to get friends from over the world, have fun, learn experience and improve my skills such as time management and communication skills. It makes my university journey more meaningful.’
Bui Huynh Thi Nhat Thanh from Vietnam

‘It brings together the university community because it gives British students first-hand experience of engaging with international students. The media constantly portrays international students in a negative light and Culture Connect dispels media falsehoods.’
Sami Riaz from Britain

Culture Connect, Employability, Student voice

Hallam Award presentation evening

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What is Hallam Award?

The Hallam Award is a skills award that recognises and rewards students who have developed their skills through extracurricular activities within the Students’ Union or university. The Hallam Award is designed to help students reflect on and develop transferable skills that will help them in their university career and beyond.

On Friday 3 October The Students’ Union will be hosting a presentation evening for students to celebrate their volunteering achievements during the 2013-2014 academic year and collect their certificates.

Winner of Platinum Hallam AwardDSC00832

Samantha Jane Logan from International Student Support and also a part-time MSc Coaching and Mentoring student will receive Platinum Hallam Award due to her volunteer work with international students. Samantha independently mentored five international students in her spare time, who were  from Vietnam, Hong Kong, Malaysia, India and China in order to help them to settle into life in the UK and make friends. She also had a mentor on the Career Mentoring Scheme, who helped her to prioritise her time and utilise her ideas to design a peer mentoring scheme at her workplace called Culture Connect.

‘Hallam Award has been a fantastic way to help me to reflect on my volunteering experiences and demonstrate the skills I have been developing along the way, while remaining focused on my career ambitions. As a result, I feel more confident  to articulate my abilities to future employers during interviews’. Samantha Jane Logan

Winner of Gold Hallam Award

GuinevereGuinevere Chan, a student from Hong Kong, who studies BA (Honours) Business and Human Resources has received Gold Hallam Award for participating in various volunteer activities alongside her studies such as being a mentee on the Culture Connect pilot scheme, she was a Student Rep and member of the the International Student Standing Committee and Union Council, where she organised cultural events for home and international students called Café  Cultural. Earlier in the year, Guinevere received the International Student of the Year Award from the Hallam Union and Café Cultural won the Best Event of the Year and Volunteering Gold Award.

‘I am really proud of my achievements. I had a very busy schedule with my academic course, working part-time and volunteering. Being a mentee on the Culture Connect scheme helped me to manage my time effectively and stay motivated. It also helped me to complete Hallam Award, which involves submitting reflective accounts of my volunteer work, because I had the opportunity to reflect on my skills and progress with my mentor during mentoring sessions. I recommend that students who take part in volunteer work complete Hallam Award, as it will help them to stand out to employers!’ Guinevere Chan

Watch a video about how Guinevere balanced Culture Connect volunteer work around her studies and other activities

Are you interested in applying for Hallam Award?

If you take part in SHU GoGlobal extracurricular activities such as Culture Connect, Global Friends, SHU Fest, Conversation Club and Hallam Union societies, then we strongly recommend that you apply for Hallam Award. For more information go to http://go.shu.ac.uk/HallamAward 

 

Culture Connect, Employability, Social activities, Student voice

Deadline approaching for peer mentoring scheme

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Would you like to apply for our new volunteer peer mentoring scheme called Culture Connect? It will help you to meet people from different countries, develop your cultural awareness and gain valuable experience for your CV.

Your commitment

The scheme is very flexible around your studies. You will  meet your mentee/mentor a minimum of 4 times from October to April. You will receive an induction to ensure you get off to a good start, then there will be regular optional employability skills training and networking events to meet wider participants on the scheme. By taking part in Culture Connect, you will be eligible to apply for the prestigious Hallam Award.

Would you like to apply to become a mentor (student helping)?

You will help mentees settle into university life and gain volunteering experience for your CV. Ideal candidates will be familiar with university services and will have taken part in extracurricular activities.

Would you like to apply to become a mentee (student being helped)?

You may be a new international students who would like to learn about other cultures, adapt to life in the UK and improve your language skills.

You may want to discuss

  • ways to meet people from different countries
  • British culture and differences from your home country
  • extracurricular activities and community events
  • small talk and making friends
  • other places to get support

Watch a video summarising the scheme

More student videos and case studies 

Previous participants on the scheme described mentoring as ‘learning through sharing’. Both mentees and mentors reported improving their cultural awareness, time management and communication skills. As well as gaining volunteer experience.

Deadline to apply

The deadline is Wednesday 8 October at 5pm, fill out the online application form at http://go.shu.ac.uk/applycc 

Find out more

Email the scheme coordinator Samantha Jane Logan at CultureConnect@shu.ac.uk

 

Culture Connect, Student voice

Culture Connect – case studies

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Culture Connect is a new volunteer peer mentoring scheme starting in September to help new international students settle into life in the UK, meet new people and develop their language skills.

A selection of student case studies about the scheme

Guinevere Chan

‘I would love to work in a culturally diverse environment where I can work closely with people. To achieve this it is essential to have strong interpersonal skills. Being part of Culture Connect has been a great way to socialise with people from different countries and this has improved my cultural awareness. I definitely recommend all students to join the scheme because the experience is so valuable. I recently achieved Gold Hallam Award for my volunteer work.’

Download Guinevere Chan’s Culture Connect Case Study

Noufal Kunhu

‘I had a great time with my mentee, helping him with his queries and learNoufal Kunhuning through sharing our experiences. We still keep in touch with each other even though the scheme has come to an end. I encourage students to get involved in order to boost your social life and have fun! You will improve your language skills, as well as having the incredible experience of getting to know different people and creating lifelong friendships.’

Download Noufal Kunhu’s Culture Connect Case Study

Olive Nyaga

‘Volunteering just a few hours can make a huge difference to another student’s life. As a mentor, you can develop your communication, time management and problem solving skills, which will be transferable to the job industry and make you more employable. I will never forget my Culture Connect experience. I would like to thank International Student Support for the chance to be a mentor.’

Download Olive Nyaga’s Culture Connect Case Study

Sohaib HassanSohaib Hassan

‘Culture Connect is one of the best schemes being offered by Sheffield Hallam University for new students in Sheffield. I advise all new students to join this scheme because it will help you to improve your problem solving skills, self-confidence and adjust to a new culture. Mentors offer a supportive relationship, giving you impartial advice, encouragement and space to reflect on your practices. I found it useful to learn from the experience another and it has increased my social and academic confidence.’

Download Sohaib Hassan’s Culture Connect Case Study

More information and details of how to get involved will be added soon to the Culture Connect Facebook page. Visit www.facebook.com/CultureConnectSHU