How Transition Year can open up the world of voluntary work.

Maeve Larkin, student, St Andrew's College, Dublin

Having completed my Junior Cert exams in June, I started in September with no real expectations of the year ahead. I had been told that Transition Year was nothing more than a "doss year", with the sole purpose of having a year's break after the previous stressful exams. As soon as we had our first lecture from our Transition Year co-ordinator, we were told that Transition Year would "give back only what was put in" by each student. Voluntary work was described as central to the programme.

So far this year we have been offered several community service programmes. Most have involved raising money for charities. We raised funds for the Rape Crisis Centre, sold Valentine's Day hearts in aid of the Mater Hospital and packed bags for customers in Dunnes Stores in aid of Concern.

St Andrew's also encourages us to organise our own voluntary work; for example, we held a cake sale in aid the Centre for the Care of Survivors of Torture. Campaigners from the organisation had visited the school and we were particularly struck by the plight of those that they represent.

Some teachers in our school helped us to get involved in the students' 10-kilometre walk in Phoenix Park (in aid of Trócaire), and another group of students will be working voluntarily with the staff at the Royal Donnybrook Hospital soon.

I have never been involved in so much voluntary community work before, purely because I have never been exposed to this kind of work. I have had an opportunity to develop my communication skills and my organisational skills.

I have also learned a great deal about some of the agencies and charities working in my community and globally for a fairer world.

I am now involved in the President's Award (An Gaisce), and I spend an hour a week working with older people in a residential care setting.

I am learning so much from this experience - I know that it will stand to me in years to come.