Vivian Wiertelorz

I get fascinated with every type of sport. To date, I probably have tried over 20 different sport disciplines. That is why I really like being involved in various sporting events. Apart from that, I really enjoy the social part of sports; getting to know people from different sporting backgrounds brings me joy and teaches me a lot. My own background is primarily tennis, athletics and volleyball.

My first time getting involved in volunteering at the Loughborough University was through the opportunity to work as event manager for the Tennis Alumni Fest. With tennis being my first love in sports, I really enjoyed preparing this event, especially because it made me feel more connected with the campus and the people of the Loughborough University.

I was involved as event manager for the Tennis Alumni Fest as well as volunteering for the Inclusive Sport Festival and UV Fest. I was able to take on roles that came with different tasks and responsibilities. I also got to work with and meet new people that I would not have met outside of these opportunities.

I experienced volunteering at the Loughborough University to be very human-centred. I was able to give personal and creative contributions within every role I was volunteering at. Open and sincere communication was encouraged highly. I felt very valued. This positive environment influences the motivation and wellbeing of us volunteers but it also rubs off on the athletes and participants of the events.

Loughborough Sport helped me in a professional way because it made me take on new responsibilities. While the final goal was clear, namely creating the specific events, the milestones had to be planned carefully by ourselves, the volunteers. I learned to think systematically while breaking down tasks and find solutions to upcoming challenges. Personally, it helped me to be more confident. Taking on new roles made me feel nervous at first but I quickly realised that we all aim for the same goal which makes it easier to contribute in a creative and confident way.

Take the plunge and try it! When I first learned about all the opportunities I can get involved in, I felt happy and overwhelmed at the same time. The CVA programme was something new for me. There wasn’t anything comparable at my previous university. I knew I wanted to get involved in as much as possible because I wanted to learn by contributing, rather than just observing. And it paid off! I was able to take on new perspectives and responsibilities that might have scared me before. And I learned so much and got to know so many interesting people in such a short time!

I really enjoyed meeting new people during my volunteering work. I find it very interesting how sport connects people of different social, cultural, academic and professional backgrounds. The international culture of the Loughborough University definitely helps with that part but it’s the sport that gives Loughborough’s family a new platform for socialising and living shared interests.