UL Student Volunteer Katie Rafferty

16/02/2021

My name is Katie Rafferty. I am 22 years old. I am a fourth-year BA Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences student, majoring in sociology. My friends say that I am friendly, bubbly, outgoing and very kindhearted.

Volunteering has allowed me to meet and interact with loads of new people and make genuine friends and connections for life. I have always had a passion for volunteering. I volunteer because I want to help others and actively get involved in the community to make a difference, big or small. I find it truly rewarding. I think it is so grounding to be able to help people from all walks of life and I think now more than ever it is so important to think of those in need.

Some of my most memorable experiences to date are from my volunteering opportunities. I have travelled to Lourdes and Valverde in Spain to volunteer. I was a Link for incoming first years to Cashel Community School, in 2017. This year I became a student leader for incoming first years to UL. Change can be daunting and by volunteering it gives me the chance to help students transitioning by passing on realistic tips and information from the things I have learned along the way. I am also part of the student welfare team at UL.

This has been such a great experience because it has helped me stay connected to those with similar interests to me and it has been vital to my mental health especially during the pandemic.  Volunteering also gives me the chance to improve my community and social awareness, it gives me a purpose and the chance to build and develop important life skills such as communication and teamwork. Volunteering is a chance to do something you are interested and passionate about and something you enjoy; it is almost like a form of active self-care.