My RED Award Experience

by Arianna Chatzidakis

Although the RED Award may sound like a lot of work, it’s actually super easy and fun to complete! I am currently in the process of doing it for the second time. Yes, fifty hours of extra curricular activities does seem daunting, but once it’s broken down it’s actually really simple. Thirty-five of those hours can be made up from work experience, paid work or an internship.  The remaining hours must be from volunteering and attending training and development courses run by the university.

I really enjoyed volunteering as a Freshers’ Angel to gain my volunteering hours. It felt nice to be able to help new students settle in, as we’ve all experienced moving away from home and being thrust into a new environment. Not only that, but I got free entry into the Union and Fresher’s Ball events as I was helping out on those nights. You also get to meet lots of new people.

As well as looking brilliant on your CV and degree transcript, the RED Award provides you with some great life skills. It shows that you have the dedication to complete a task, it provides recognition for your extra-curricular activities, it helps you stand out from the crowd when applying for jobs, and it generally helps you build a wider skills portfolio. It’s definitely something to think about doing before you finish your degree!