Student Interviews

Interview with Linda Williams, SVM Graduate

Linda Williams has recently completed one of The School of Volunteer Management's accredited training courses – the Diploma of Business.

What job do you do and for what organisation?

I am the Community Development Worker at Rozelle Neighbourhood Centre. My job entails funding and projects that encourage community to come together. I organise projects that address gaps in the community.

One of the projects I used in the course, and am working on, is a social group for socially isolated people in the community including frail aged and younger disabled people. The outings organised for the group brings them out of their house, gives them social contact where they can meet other people who are in the same situation and also enables them to see Sydney sights that they may not have seen before on their outings.

Why did you choose to do the Diploma of Volunteer Management?

The Diploma of Business was offered as a scholarship to us when SVM was doing a training course with my work and I thought it sounded interesting and challenging. Because it was relevant to the industry I though why not give it a go. I thought it could be something I could use for future employment. I hoped to gain knowledge and career prospects.

What did you find valuable in the course?

The research project was valuable. I analysed media coverage of my local SES unit over a twelve year period, with particular reference to the impact on recognition and recruitment of volunteers. The resulting paper was widely circulated within the NSW SES.

What were the positives and challenges of distance education?

It was beneficial because it gave me my own time to finish the units. I could work at my own pace. I also found it difficult. The course was sent out to me on a CD so I had to sit at a computer somewhere and read the information as it was too much for me to print out. Understanding the context of the readings, sometimes, was a bit difficult. I asked a lot of work colleagues for help as well as ringing SVM. This was mainly because these were new concepts to me.

Would you consider doing another SVM training course? Which one?

Yes. I would like to do Certificate IV in Assessment & Workplace Training.

What is the most important thing you will take away from the course?

The Diploma! The course was good because it highlighted some things we needed to update in the centre where I work. The OH&S module and the last module I did, Facilitating Innovative Projects, have been very relevant and have helped a lot with things like reviewing our OH&S standards.

Find out more

Find out more about our Diploma of Business.