A big thank you to Jack Simmons for agreeing to be our next volunteering case study. Ever since secondary school, Jack knew his passion was with Film and TV and knew the best gateway into this would be higher education with Teesside University studying a BA (hons) in Film and Television Production. Jack has fully immersed himself into university life, volunteering a staggering 110 hours to university projects and picking up a Gold Award at the last volun-cheers celebration event. It was a proud moment to see Jack graduate in the summer and we wish him every success with his next steps in securing employment and continuing with his freelance work.

Please read on to find out more about how volunteering played a big part in Jack’s journey. Some of Jack’s volunteering work can be seen right here in the video he created for the Teesside University Intersectional Pride 2025 event – It is amazing!

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"I volunteered for Teesside University led projects such as the wellbeing and LGBTQ+ events. I have always been an advocate for equal rights, mental wellbeing and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Working with Vic Brown has been a very rewarding experience and has allowed me to expand my portfolio of film related work, gaining recognition from charities such as Good Food Middlesbrough and Stonewall.

I spent a lot of my time filming and editing videos for my volunteering roles. I would spend numerous days in meetings or chatting with organisers over emails/calls and preparing for the event days. On the day, I would set up my equipment ready for filming and throughout the event would get to meet some wonderful people with incredibly interesting stories. By the end of the day, I would have recorded plenty of material to create a promotional video for the charity or university.

Through Volunteering I have learned a great deal, not just about the missions presented by the different charities but I also learned a lot about myself and how caring and wanting to make a difference is the foundation to making change. I enjoyed meeting people. I got to work with a wide variety of people and learning about their stories and who they are was a very enjoyable and enlightening experience that helped me grow through the voluntary process.

I secured a 10 week internship through Student Futures in the Teesside University's Student Recruitment & Marketing Team, continuing my work for the university creating promotional material for events such as graduation, except in a working environment and experiencing a full time job, which was another fantastic experience.

My advice to anyone thinking about volunteering would be to keep an open mind, remember to be kind and know that you're not just helping people, you might change lives! It's a thrilling experience for anyone wanting to build a portfolio in Film, but also to assist with events in general is a fulfilling experience. Always consider volunteering towards a cause you believe in as this will bring greater benefit to you and them"

Thank you Vik Brown for supporting Jack. As Student Adviser (Wellbeing & Lifestyle) Vik supports many students with volunteering. A new project that is quickly gathering momentum and needs some volunteers is the Period Dignity - Teesside University campaign. The volunteering opportunity goes live on the 01.09.2025 Period Dignity Campaign - tackling period poverty along with menstrual education – why not look.  

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