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The Monash Volunteer Gateway will provide international student volunteer and internship opportunities

26 September 2011

Reana Rossouw
From the left: Raabia Bashir, a Monash student from Nairobi, Kenya, Rebecca McHenry from Monash University, Australia, who has been on student exchange at Monash South Africa, Louis Majiwa, a second-year business student at Monash South Africa.

Rebecca McHenry, an international studies student, from Monash University, Australia, who has been on a student exchange at Monash South Africa, arrived back in Johannesburg this week after an extensive tour of East Africa.

Representing the Monash South Africa Community Engagement Department, she sought to establish new partnerships with international NGO’s and community organisations in order to extend the volunteer and internship opportunities for Monash students.

She said: “The idea was to internationalise the existing ‘Monash Volunteer Gateway’ – an online portal that connects students with Monash’s registered and approved partner organisations - thereby giving students opportunities to volunteer and assist in community development.”

The growth of this portal is seen as an excellent way to encourage students to exercise greater social consciousness and participate in improving communities. As a  large portion of students studying at Monash South Africa are from other African countries, this will create an opportunity for them to become involved in their own communities, while still being supported by Monash.

“Initial meetings proved hugely successful and have definitely broadened the scope of the Monash Volunteer Gateway,”says Rebecca who interacted with several organisations dealing with key issues of concern in East Africa including HIV/AIDS, women’s rights, education, politics, development, agriculture, health and empowerment.

“A Monash student volunteer presence in East Africa will benefit the organisations as well as the students. The foundations for legitimate, lasting and mutually-beneficial relationships have now been established and should open the way for Monash student volunteer and intern positions to be available by 2012” said Craig Rowe Community Engagement Manager at Monash South Africa.

He added that future plans for the continued ongoing expansion of the Monash Volunteer Gateway are underway. “Monash University is committed to ensuring that students actively engage with the world around them and positively contribute to both local and international communities.  Community engagement is considered to be an essential component of tertiary education at Monash University. “

Rebecca said: “There is so much potential in Africa. I wake up every morning feeling like I have the capacity to change lives. This is something you just don’t experience in many places. Monash has empowered me to take on challenges and responsibilities, such as the internationalisation of the Volunteer Gateway. Without the Monash, my potential and enthusiasm would be going to waste. Through this project, I wanted to help empower other students to also realise their potential while at university.”