Study trip offers students an insight into UK's social problems

Eight business students from City University volunteered their services to revamp a charity shop in Canterbury, Britain, to help it raise more funds for the needy.

The students were taking part in a six-week English course organised with the University of Kent in Canterbury, and were each required to do 50 hours community service.

A small shop run by British charity The Scrine Foundation was the focus for the Hong Kong group, who were given the task of helping to manage it. The shop sells second-hand clothes and household goods.

'Doing the voluntary work gave us a chance to apply our business knowledge to the operations, management and sales of an actual business,' said Vince Chan Wai-shun, a second-year economics and finance student.

The foundation also arranged for the students to visit its service centre to give them an insight into how voluntary work contributes to society.

The centre mainly serves the homeless, unemployed and alcoholics, but also deals with school dropouts and young drug addicts.