Fiji adventure is a first
for UCA student Jacob

Part of the UCA experience – if you choose – can involve exploring new lands and cultures, to enhance your learning and your personal development. For Printed Fashion Textile student Jacob Morgan, that meant boarding a plane for the first time and flying almost 10,000 miles to the tropical islands of Fiji.

29 Mar 2023

Through the UCA Global team, Jacob was one of the first students to take advantage of UCA’s recent partnership with Think Pacific, an organisation which runs volunteer placements, internships, and projects across Fiji, covering community building, youth empowerment, mental health and sport.

Jacob undertook the one-month mental health placement. 

“Any students thinking about doing something like this – just do it! It was my first ever flight and everyone thought I was mad to go 24 hours flying, but it was the best experience ever. I made friends and would love to go back!” he said.

“The purpose of my trip was to promote mental health awareness. I wanted to use skills I’ve learned during my time at UCA to help the local community, to help them understand what they can do to feel better,” he said.

Jacob said the trip was easy to arrange and found Fijian life very different from the UK. “The main takeaway from the experience is the sense of community, and how the Fijians I met helped each other out and invited anyone into their home," he said. 

Find out more about overseas volunteering opportunities at UCA.