London Student Volunteers Fortnight

Event description:

Two weeks of volunteering events across London open to all students studying in the captial.

Date:

24 October 2009 - 7 November 2009

Place:

University of Greenwich, City University London, Queen Mary Students’ Union, Imperial College London, London Metropolitan University, Kingston University Student Union, King's College London Students' Union, Brunel University West London, University College London
SE10 9LS

Full details:

Between 24 October and 7 November nine London universities (University of Greenwich, City University London, Queen Mary Students’ Union, Imperial College London, London Metropolitan University, Kingston University Student Union, King's College London Students' Union, Brunel University West London, University College London) collaborated to coordinate a range of volunteering events across London that were open to all students studying in London. The fortnight was organised to give students the opportunity to find out about volunteering through information and taster events and in turn build relations with the community and help students gain new skills and experiences.

Sarah Sunderland, the Employability Administrator (Volunteering) at the University of Greenwich, stated:

“We believe that London 2012 is a bold expression of what we hope to achieve as volunteer coordinators. As volunteer coordinators it is our role to encourage students to volunteer, we do this for very important reasons.

Volunteering can help a student to build confidence, friendships, skills and experience; to help them find direction in life. For the community outside of our universities (and sometimes also the very large community of students and academics within London universities), volunteering gives support to those in need of it, utilises an individual’s skills for common good and promotes community cohesion.

London 2012 brings this message home as a reality, as something we can strive to achieve as a community, and as a part of the London and UK community as a whole. The ‘London 2012’ brand itself is encouraging and inspiring; as volunteer coordinators organising the London Student Volunteers Fortnight we wanted to encourage and inspire our students to achieve through volunteering.”

At the University of Greenwich over 60 students were involved in a selection of 12 activities as part of this Inspire project; one of the most memorable events was the Greenwich Ghostly Tour where five volunteers gave ghost tours of the Old Royal Naval College to 30 new and international students. Students also attended a workshop with The Children’s Society National Mentoring Initiative and were informed how to set up their own student – led projects by the Vinvolved South East London Team.

Students at Kingston University were very active. Throughout the fortnight they helped with marketing for Thames Ditton charity Street Child Africa; potted up cacti as gifts for their local Age Concern centres; raised money for Neuro-fibromatosis Association UK, Momentum (a children’s cancer charity) and the Poppy Appeal.

On 5 November, eleven students took time out of their studies to put on a Bonfire Night themed craft and cookery session at Bedelsford Special Needs School; with lots of glue, paint and glitter it was hard to tell whether the volunteers or the children enjoyed themselves more!

City University London put on an event called ‘From School to University’. The focus of this successful event was looking at people’s 'learning journeys', encouraging young people to have ownership of their own learning journeys as much as the adult student volunteers. 19 students joined the journey to St. Luke’s Primary School, Islington where there was an air of expectation and excitement. Once they arrived at the school the group of volunteers was split into two, with one group receiving a tour of the school, led by half the Year 6 class and the other group getting to visit the Year 6 classroom and see the pupil’s Portfolio’s of Progress. Volunteers were paired up with pupils and filmed the Portfolio showing on digital camcorders. There was then a Walk from School to University where the two groups of volunteers and pupils then split up, with the first group receiving a tour of the Journalism facilities at City, whilst the second group completed some interviews which were chaired by the pupils, who asked the students questions about their learning journeys. The pupils also recorded footage of their interviews which they will edit together at a later date for part of a journalism project.

At Brunel during the fortnight 16 volunteers assisted in a variety of roles at the local Hermitage Primary School including assisting teachers and designing posters. The Girl Guides gave an informative talk to 11 student volunteers telling them about the organisation and the local projects volunteers can get involved in. Beatbullying also trained a further 10 students on how to be Cybermentors for an online mentoring service for young people.

At University College London volunteers joined the regular volunteers from the Hampstead Parish Churchyard for a Conservation Event; volunteers put lots of effort into trimming and clearing hedgerows. The volunteers found the event very rewarding and have pledged to go back to the site to help at other events.

At Imperial College London volunteers worked with an organisation called Groundwork where they were involved in a conservation project based in Little Wormwood Scrubs Park. This area provides valuable habitat for a variety of species, and provides breeding and feeding grounds for a variety of mammals and invertebrates. The Park is also used by local residents for recreational purposes and thus volunteering helps to reserve this community area.

Minna Ruohonen, Community Relations Manager stated: “Imperial College is very proud of being able to participate in the London Student Volunteers Fortnight 2009 Inspire project. This offered an excellent opportunity for our student volunteers to showcase their community engagement in a wider context and I believe this type of activity is a good example on how student volunteering really can make a difference within local community but also through the whole capital. I am very supportive of this event and Imperial College definitely will participate again next year.”

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