Welcome

Welcome from Professor Tim Vorley

"The role of universities as ‘civic’ institutions is all too often bounded around, often with bold claims and good intentions. However a group of colleagues at Oxford Brookes Business School led by Dr. Saman Jamshidifard have moved beyond the rhetoric in scaling community volunteering. Over the last 15 year Saman has had a prolific impact in Oxford, from humble beginnings to establish a programme to support and recognise the contribution of others with his Community Ambassadors Badge.

Oxford Brookes Business School is proud to support scaling community volunteering in Oxford and Oxfordshire. As a Business School we are at the heart of our community, and supporting the scaling up of community volunteering will increase our positive impact in the community. By promoting awareness of volunteering and empowering volunteers I am proud that colleagues at Oxford Brookes Business School are making a difference where they live and work".

Professor Tim Vorley OBE FAcSS
Pro Vice-Chancellor & Dean
Oxford Brookes Business School

Welcome from Lisa Hale 

We hope that this OBBS Community Ambassador Certificate will inspire both staff and students alike to engage in their local community groups by sharing their time and skills in a wide range of initiatives available in and around Oxford. This certificate is open to everyone and we look forward to hearing your stories about what you have been doing and the impact you have had. 

Lisa Hale

Deputy Associate Dean for Education and Student Experience  

Programme Lead Pathways Programmes

Welcome from Dr. Saman Jamshidifard 

Over 15 years of community volunteering, I found the biggest barrier to more of us volunteering in community to be aspirational rather than our personal life choices and limitations.  Like many, I started with a couple of hours per week, driving a Foodbank van on Saturday mornings, helping my elderly neighbours, etc.  Years later, I am now doing 35 hours of voluntary work in my communities and I am a self proclaimed Community Ambassador, with my very own Community Ambassadors Badge ( #HeartyEarth).  When current and previous Oxford Mayors and community managers asked me how we can have many many more ambassadors, I decided to put together a very accessible, short, online and community-experience based course that will hopefully #Aspire2Inspire you too.

This certificate is a clear and direct articulation of OBBS #intentionality to engage with and empower all of our communities in Oxfordshire and beyond. Thank you Prof Tim Vorley OBE, Becky Horton and Lisa Hale for being part of #aspire2inspire #inspireinclusion #thinkglobalactlocal and #bethechange 💙🌍💚✨