'I've found volunteering at St Oswald's has been a really great way of seeing how the things that I've been studying in Sociology apply in reality. Having studied benefits and the welfare system as part of my course, it was invaluable to see personally how changes in the welfare system actually impacted upon people. Volunteering at the centre is also really good experience for building confidence, and learning how to maintain professionalism when faced with new challenges. People come in with a whole range of questions, and it teaches you how to calmly deal with each response, and find the information you need to help them. There is always the reassurance of knowing that the experienced advisors are on hand if you ever get really stuck with an enquiry!