At the beginning of the academic year Strathclyde welcome a huge number of new students to the university. These students come from a variety of backgrounds with different levels of experience with further and higher education institutions. All these students need to be welcomed into the Strathclyde family. This is where the Union’s Welcome Team come in.
 

Who are the Welcome Team?
 

The Welcome Team is a group of continuing students volunteering to help new students integrate into the university. They are identifiable through their pink t-shirts and hats leading campus tours. The Union stall at university halls ensures new students are introduced to welcome team volunteers after collecting their accommodation keys.

The Welcome Team is made up of a diverse group of current students from all faculties and years who encourage new and returning students to get involved with Freshers' Week. This team of volunteers makes an impact on thousands of new students arriving at Strathclyde by helping people make the most of Freshers' Week, being a friendly face at an uncertain time, and making sure new students have help finding their feet at University.

They host events throughout Freshers Week for new students including Speed Meeting, Cèilidhs and Ikea Trips. They help guide students around the Campus Village and the Union acting as a friendly face no matter your situation. They are esponsible for setting up fairs, distributing essential information, offering campus tours and making Strath as welcoming as possible. 
 

Why should you join the Welcome Team?
 

As a RUK student starting university in a new place was daunting. This is the case for most students regardless of where they come from, but I can only speak from my experience. Arriving on campus collecting my keys and navigating to my new flat with all my belonging and parents in tow was overwhelming. It was made considerably easier by the friendly faces of student volunteers I came across. They offered a helping hand even chatting to my parents. This small act reassured me I had made the right choice coming to Strathclyde.



Fast forward three years later I joined the Welcome Team during September 2020. Although this experience was different due to the pandemic the team still went above and beyond.  Students were able to join online events and connect with other new students. For some who were in isolation or in another country this was a real opportunity to remain positive during an uncertain period. It felt great to be a part of it, helping them adjust to their new opportunity.

?Your volunteering will be fully flexible to fit around your studies, work and other commitments - you can take part in as many or few volunteering shifts as you are able to! You will always be volunteering with at least one other person, and you will be among the first students to get access to the new Union building. As always, we provide you with a team uniform (the iconic pink T-shirts)! All you need to take part is enthusiasm for helping new students.

I couldn’t recommend the experience more to Strathclyde students. You can choose the aspect of helping new students that suits your skills and experience best committing whatever time you can. The experience helped me feel invigorated for the new academic year and I met a great bunch of new people. While it might seem like a small part of the introduction to Strathclyde for new students Welcome Team can have an amazing impact on their first experiences at university.



Find out more about joining this year’s Welcome Team here.