Student volunteers ready to help with community event planning

Vancouver Island University Recreation and Tourism students want to lend a helping hand to community organizations and non-profit groups requiring assistance with special events.

Student volunteers are available to assist with all aspects of event planning and promotions.

First-year students enrolled in Recreation and Tourism Management programs at VIU take a course in which they learn about core leisure programming and special event planning skills.

"A critical part of their learning is having an opportunity to apply the material covered in the classroom to the real world," said Tourism instructor Rob Ferguson.

"To this end, we are looking for community organizations or non-profit groups in the central Vancouver Island area who need help planning programs or special events. It's a win-win for everyone. Community groups get the advice, help and enthusiasm of student volunteers and the students gain valuable practical skills working on community projects."

Ferguson has about 65 students who are available to work on projects from mid-January to mid-March. Projects that are planned during this time and implemented later are also suitable if sufficient planning takes place from January to March.

As part of their coursework, students must contribute a minimum of 30 hours towards a project and submit a comprehensive report detailing the planning process from the identification of needs to evaluating outcomes.

Students are supported through weekly classroom sessions, tutorials and additional coursework designed to enhance their development as recreation and tourism professionals.

Any community organization that could benefit from having one or more students contribute in a meaningful way towards a program or special event is invited to contact Rob Ferguson at Rob.Ferguson@viu.ca before Jan. 10.