Local charities and voluntary groups are increasingly starting to attract student attention, even as international charities remain the prime draw for students looking to gain volunteer experience.

Varsity spoke to several local charities and volunteers and found that recent years have seen an increase in interest in local charities, although many still gravitate towards overseas volunteer experiences.

Frances Meegan, Careers Adviser at the University of Cambridge Careers Service, spoke to Varsity about the different reasons why students may prefer to work with international charities rather than local ones. "Often students are doing volunteer work during their vacations, and so they may want to have some element of international experience."

She added, "Fields such as international development often get a lot of media attention, which is why there is a bigger draw towards them."

The greater interest in international work is reflected in the projects funded by the Public Interest Vacation Experience bursaries offered by the Careers Service. The bursaries of up to £500 are given to students who wish to pursue volunteer work over the long vacation.

Since the bursary scheme began three years ago, 46 volunteer projects have been funded. Of these, only 11 were based in the UK, and only one in Cambridge. The remaining were based internationally, in virtually every part of the world from East Asia to Africa and Latin America.

Meegan emphasized that the number of UK-based projects has steadily increased since the scheme began. In the first year, only one bursary was awarded to a UK-based project, while last year the figure had gone up to seven. The majority, however, remain internationally-based.

Certainly part of the reason for this is the fact that Cambridge has a diverse student body. However, there is also a sense that international volunteer work is perceived as being more "glamorous" than local work.

In the words of one first-year student, "For some reason, volunteering internationally is seen as a more glamorous and exciting thing to do. People have these romantic notions that they’ll ‘find themselves’ when they go overseas to volunteer."

He added, "Of course, getting to know another culture is a big part of it, but I do think that local voluntary work can be just as rewarding, as you have the chance to contribute directly to your community."

For many local charities, the biggest hurdle to attracting student attention is advertising.

Without extensive resources at their disposal, local charities may find it difficult to promote their organizations to students who are only in town for a few months each year and inundated with work during their time here.

According to the Volunteer Coordinator at one Cambridgeshire charity, "It’s hard for us to advertise in the papers, so we look for other avenues like Freshers’ Fair."

He added, "While hundreds of students sign up at these events, usually only a handful are able to volunteer regularly because of academic commitments."

Luckily, there are several University societies that have helped to bridge the gap between students and local charities.

The most prominent is Student Community Action (SCA), a student-run initiative, which offers more than 70 local volunteering opportunities for both Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin students.

According to Beth Oldham, a member of SCA’s Steering Group and TESL volunteer, "SCA is really trying to make the interaction with the local community part of the Cambridge experience. We really want to foster a two-way relationship."

SCA is also interested in making local volunteering more attractive to those who do it with an eye to potential careers after university.

Next week, for instance, they will be hosting a workshop in partnership with the Careers Service, which will teach students how to present volunteer experiences more effectively when applying for jobs.

The same sentiments were expressed by Sarah Jones, Fundraising Manager for the Cambridgeshire and Bedford offices of Macmillan Cancer Support, where a number of Cambridge students have volunteered in the last several years.

According to Jones, "We are keen to get local students involved with Macmillan, and the great thing about volunteering [locally] is that it is flexible – fitting around lectures, supervisions, and social life."

She added, "It is also a good way to gain experience, particularly if a career in the charity sector is something you are interested in."

However, for those who have found time to volunteer locally , the biggest rewards are often personal.

Jonny Walker, Project Leader for the Big Siblings and the Bounce Projects at SCA, is the ‘big sibling’ to a ten-year old boy whom he visits once a week. "It’s the best choice I made so far in Uni," says Walker.