Oxfam Fashion Event

Summary

Rachel volunteered for an Oxfam Fashion Event in November 2009 to raise money for Oxfam's work in Haiti. The project was youth led and involved loads of young volunteers.

“You only live once, time to start living”

Rachel, 20 volunteered with Oxfam and helped with their fashion show. It was only by chance that that Rachel came to know of the opportunity; through a neighbour, but one which she relished.

The fashion show was in aid of Haiti and enabled Rachel to use her passion for fashion to help other people. On the day of the show Rachel was responsible for the swapshop table. Her role involved customizing jeans and informing people on the ways of recycling and re-using old clothes. She also enjoyed customizing several items for the catwalk and working in a large team; something which she hadn’t done before. Having been interested in fashion since the age of 5 Rachel has pursued her aspirations and is currently studying fashion at Central St Martins College.

Rachel describes volunteering as a ‘healthy thing, where money is not involved...not expecting anything’ for kind actions.

Rachel

Her general outlook with most things is to be efficient and do as much work as she can. Such determination for a young person partially stems from her attitude towards volunteering. Rachel describes volunteering as a ‘healthy thing, where money is not involved...not expecting anything’ for kind actions. She believes that it is important to get more kids involved into volunteering from a younger age and is possibly something that should be introduced to school children to make it more accessible. In her eyes, however, for many children volunteering is not valued as being ‘cool’ despite the great benefits it carries. Many friends of Rachel have a ‘not-bovvered’ stance towards volunteering and would rather stay in bed than get up and do a good deed. It is perhaps a problem with today’s society rather than with the education system that stops other young volunteers unlike Rachel from saying ‘experience is richer than money’.

Case Study written by Kumal Tukhoo.