Christmas in London

Volunteer at a

We all know that London is a great city, whether you live here, are a visitor or student. What a lot of people don’t know is how great it is to spend Christmas here in London.

One of the many wonderful things about London is that you can become a Londoner wherever you’re from originally. You could be from another part of the UK or the other side of the world, but once you’ve decided to make London your home that’s it – you are officially a Londoner.

And it’s at this time of year that you start to get an idea of how many people aren’t actually born and bred Londoners – because so many people leave at this time.

London is all yours for Christmas

For one week only, somewhere between 22 December and 30 December, London practically empties. Tens of thousands of Londoners head back to where they originally came from to be with family and friends for the festive season.

This is a great time for those with family in London, or those with commitments that keep in London for the last week of December. And increasingly, there are those that have just decided to stay in the city and enjoy this time with their friends.

If you travel on the tube you’re guaranteed a seat, if you go to your local pub you’ll be welcomed like a real local and you may even get a nod of acknowledgement from other Londoners as you walk around town.

The downside may be that many places shut for this period too. A lot of bars and restaurants are closed in the week between Christmas Day and New Years Eve as most of their customers have left, but those that do stay open tend to be very welcoming – and have tables available without booking in advance.

Help out at a London charity at Christmas

But then, Christmas in London isn’t all about restaurants, bars  shopping and eating . It’s also provides an opportunity to give something back and volunteering at a homeless shelter is one of the best and most popular activities for those that stay in London.

The housing and homelessness charity Crisis opens Christmas centres across London from 22-30 December that offer vital companionship, hot meals and warmth, and a wide range of essential services that homeless people often miss out on.

What volunteers can do

There are lots of options for  charity volunteers :

• General volunteers welcome guests, serve food, sort bedding or just make sure things go to plan
• Logistics volunteers co-ordinate food deliveries, volunteer as drivers or navigators and input data
• Service volunteers give guests access to services they usually miss out on. Crisis are looking for medical professionals, advice practitioners, hairdressers, alternative therapists, caterers, dog handlers and many more
• Activities and entertainment volunteers such as performers, musicians, magicians and sports trainers to help to inspire and entertain guests at the centres

The centres are open from  22-30 December. Volunteers are asked to sign up to a minimum of two shifts on two separate days and are welcome to apply for more should they wish.

How to volunteer at Crisis

You can  find out more about what Crisis do at Christmas on their website and to apply online at the Crisis website or telephone 0300 636 1000. 

International House Trust and Crisis 

Crisis have education, training and employment centres, called Skylight centres, across the UK. International House Trust have partnered with Crisis Skylight in London by offering intensive International English Language Testing System (IELTS) programmes to Skylight members.

Improve your CV with a second language

Evening and weekend language classes

Learning a second language and adding it to your CV could help you stand out in a crowded job market.

Recent university graduates don't need to be told about how tough finding a job is right now. According to figures released by the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) there are 83 applications for every graduate role advertised.

With this kind of competition, more and more graduate job hunters are looking for ways to stand out from other job applicants.

Graduate courses to side step the recession

A popular route graduating students are taking is via postgraduate courses. A growing number of students finishing undergraduate courses are moving directly on to Masters and Doctorate degrees. 

This may seem surprising when the economy and jobs market are depressed, but many students continue to study to improve their employment prospects by adding further academic qualifications to their resumes. And increasingly, students are choosing to sit out the worst of the recession by staying on at university.

Learn a language to increase job prospects

As attractive as studying for post graduate qualifications may be it is not necessarily the right option for everyone. Post graduate courses can be expensive for those who don’t qualify for bursaries or funding, and not all graduates want to continue with academic study after 3 or 4 years of undergraduate study.

Learning a second language can be an affordable and manageable way to improve your CV and impress prospective employers.  

Even if a company or organisation has no apparent need for speakers of a language other than English, adding a language to your CV can really add value.

 Learning a new language shows prospective employers that you have the ability, determination and dedication to acquire new skills.

Learning a second language improves your first language

Along with the ability to speak and understand a new language, learning a language can also help you develop communication skills in your native language.

Language learning gives you a better understanding of language structure, the rules of grammar and can improve the clarity of your communications.

A good recruiter will understand the advantages a candidate with a second language can bring to a role, but don’t be shy about telling them this on your CV and in interviews.

Once you’ve decided that learning a second language is the way to go for you, all that’s left to do is to decide which language you should learn…

Study Modern Languages at International House London

Learn a language at International House London. We are the largest and most established language school in London with over 50 years experience.

At our central London location you can choose  which language you'd like to study from French , Spanish , German , Japanese , Italian or Arabic

Prepare for CASS Business School with a University Foundation Programme

International House London's University Foundation Programme helps students prepare for life at the UK's top universities.

In November we were very pleased to welcome  Andy Durban, Recruitment and Events Officer for undergraduate programmes at CASS Business School, to International House London.

Andy joined us to talk about the different undergraduate courses on offer to our University Foundation Programme students , specifically those students interested in studying for a business related degree. 

From International House London to CASS Business School

The Guardian University Guide 2013 ranks CASS business school number 1 in London and second throughout the whole of the UK for undergraduate Business and Management Studies.

In 2011/12 International House London had 7 students progressing to CASS business school to study business and management.

The undergraduate courses on offer at CASS Business School are:

BSc Business Studies

BSc Business Management

BSc Banking and International Finance

BSc Investment and Financial Risk Management

BSc Accounting & Finance

BSc Actuarial Science

Professional placements with leading global companies

All Cass students who take a four-year degree have the opportunity to take a professional placement year in their third year with one of a wide range of leading global companies. This gives the student the opportunity to gain real-world skills and road test your future career.

Companies who provided Cass students with a placement for the 2011/12 academic year include the Bank of England, Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, Universal Pictures and Nomura.

Study abroad with a partner university

All Cass students can study abroad at one of our 25 highly-ranked worldwide partner universities as part of their degree.

Studying abroad gives students an exceptional opportunity to enhance their degree with an international dimension, develop future business contacts, and prepare them for the global employment market.

CASS Business School entry requirements

To gain a place at one of the world’s top business schools you’ll need to provide personal statements, gain a 75% overall module score (including mathematics) with no less than 65% in any module and achieve English Language Proficiency: IELTS 6.5.

Prepare for university with International House London

To prepare to study at CASS business school or any other leading university requires the very best teaching  support, the most inspirational environment and most best possible education and social experience. 

You want to learn in a place where you really belong.

International House London is that place.

It's the only place.

Find out more about the University Foundation Programme at International House London