Claudia Raven, a 20-year-old AUT Sport and Recreation student, was selected to join the first International University Sports Federation (FISU) volunteering conference in Kazan, Russia earlier this month. Claudia was one of the 110 young people from around the world who was selected for this special program. As a member of the University and Tertiary Sport NZ (UTSNZ) student commission, Claudia, along with another Kiwi representative got to spend a week in Russia learning about volunteer management, essential skills and strategies that volunteers require to motivate others.

This trip to Russia has made Claudia understand that the spirit of giving is losing its way on many people of this generation. On this trip, she has gained a new understanding of the global demand for volunteers. She said, "They expressed the importance of giving volunteers roles where they can network with people, rather than giving them jobs where they are stuck behind a computer”.

People from 170 different countries had joined the conference which provided with a big cultural experience to Claudia. The conference has also helped her learn about the people from around the world. This was the first time she was able to hear some practical examples of how volunteering is done around the world where students are actively involved in it.

Claudia has volunteered in many national and international events, and she describes volunteering as her passion, not a job. In 2016, she accomplished 68 hours of sports volunteering, primarily through her netball commitments as an AUT university player, umpire and manager for the Year 8 North Harbour Representative team.