Mohammed's Story
So my name is Mohamad al-Khatib,
I’m a master's student here at the University of Glasgow
So what I'm studying is a master's in speech language and social linguistics.
And then I've been volunteering for this organization called Community Infosource.
What are your main responsibilities?
So basically the main role I do is I'm an ESOL tutor,
so I deliver an ESOL class every Wednesday
and the classes are 2 p.m.
so the class lasts for 2 hours.
So yeah, so basically I deliver the ESOL class.
We have different topics
to talk about our learners that are all refugees and asylum seekers,
so it's really good to help them improve their language.
Why did you choose to volunteer?
Well, I love volunteering because I love to serve people.
It's really rewarding and it makes me feel content and happy.
And then
the reason I volunteer for
Community Infosource is because they deliver ESOL class
and then they've been delivering it for quite some time.
So it's really a good opportunity for me to
help people.
And then, you know, educate them, improve their English.
Yeah.
What have you enjoyed most during your time as a volunteer?
honestly speaking, it really makes me feel thrilled
when I see a student, you know, like improve their English step by step
because they come to us basically, they don't speak a word.
And then in a couple of weeks, they start, you know, saying phrases.
They can ask questions, they can go
grocery shopping on their own or to speak on their own, on the phone to a doctor.
So it's really rewarding to me, yeah.
How much of an impact do you feel your volunteering has made?
Um, honestly speaking, I've been volunteering for a year now
and I feel like there's a huge impact because a lot of learners
keep coming to our classes even though they start classes at college,
but they enjoy the class
here more because it's more fun, you know, It's like a very informal setting.
So and then we have like 20 of our learners
joined college and they progressed through different levels.
So I find that really, really amazing.
What skills have you developed as a volunteer?
So the best skill I developed here is communication skill, because I never
I deliver my class to people from like every corner of the world.
And it's really hard
to make everyone like, you know, understand everything you teach.
So throughout the time and then teaching and then practice.
So I developed this skill and then I'm much, much better at it now.
What would you say to a student who is thinking of volunteering?
Well, you should not think about volunteering.
You should actually think
about managing your time because like, volunteering is a must,
and especially for a student, because you are in the education field.
So you're supposed to volunteer like you shouldn’t ask
should I volunteer or no, you should volunteer.
You have to volunteer because it's so rewarding
and then it gives you a lot of experience, practice and stuff.
So you should just think about managing your time and how to volunteer.
But you have to volunteer.
If you could sum up your volunteering experience in one word what would it be?
It's a joy.