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Farah Chowdhury

April 27th, 2018

LSE Volunteers 2018

4 comments

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Farah Chowdhury

April 27th, 2018

LSE Volunteers 2018

4 comments

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

On 26 April, the LSE Volunteer Centre and the LSESU RAG Society hosted their annual event to celebrate volunteering and fundraising at LSE, and to launch the new LSE Volunteers brochure. Over 60 people attended representing the student body, including LSE Students’ Union and various parts of the School. In attendance were also charities that have recruited students over the past year as volunteers and fundraisers, as well as LSE staff from LSE Careers and other professional services and academic departments.

The achievements of LSE students over the past year have been incredible with the LSE Volunteer Centre Manager, Gabriella Monasso, saying: “Having so many dedicated student volunteers truly is a triple win: for the School, our charity partners and our students. It not only reminds us of our roots, but also helps us build the bridges within and outside the school, to be able to realize a better, stronger and more inclusive and supportive society.”

Gabriella Monasso, Volunteer Centre Manager.

Although she was unable to attend, LSE Director, Dame Minouche Shafik, was kind enough to send along a message of support, saying: “I am immensely proud to lead an institution dedicated, since its establishment, to the ‘betterment of society’. The scale and scope of volunteering at LSE reflects this commitment, as well as the energy and enthusiasm of our students and the hard work of the LSE Volunteer Centre and our partner organisations.”

LSESU RAG President, Julia Lawson-Johns told the audience that RAG had raised around £30,000 this year just during the Fresher’s Week period. She said: “I love attending this event because it gives us the opportunity to recognise the efforts of individuals in the broader LSE community.”

Alice Harrison – LSESU RAG, Alex Selway – LSESU RAG, Ginny Donnelly – Haven House Children’s Hospice, Alex Bordoli – MIND, Julia Lawson-Johns, LSESU RAG President

Olivia Darby, Director of Policy and Campaigns at Wonder Foundation spoke about the importance of volunteers on charities, as well as the impact of LSE volunteers. She said: “LSE volunteers are helping us to continue with our advocacy. LSE volunteers have also helped us to create and edit film testimonies that mean that the voices of women in our projects, their dreams, their thoughts and their humanity, can be shared with a wider audience. Thanks to them we have been able to able raise thousands of pounds to give education opportunities to girls living a precarious existence.”

Outstanding Contribution to LSE

Alex Selway, BSc in International Relations and History, won the Outstanding Contribution to the LSE Community Award for his work with LSESU RAG. He said: “It’s been wonderful to volunteer in so many different ways and I’m looking forward to starting a new chapter with RAG next year as President, which I’m sure will be very fun.”

Alex Selway, winner of the Outstanding Contribution to the LSE Community Award

LSE Volunteer of the Year Award

Brian Dikoff, LLM, was presented with the LSE Volunteer of the Year Award for his work with Migrants Organise. Brian said: “I’m very shocked to be winning this award. I’ve volunteered with Migrants Organise for 3 and a half years now, so I would like to thank the organisation, the LSE Volunteer Centre and all the other nominees too.”

Brian Dikoff, winner of the LSE Volunteer of the Year Award with Jennifer Blair & Heike Langbein from Migrants Organise

LSE Voluntary Organisation of the Year

Coin Street Community Builders won the LSE Voluntary Organisation of the Year Award. Natalie Bell, Head of Youth and Community Programmes said: “I started at Coin Street as a volunteer myself and so I’m really happy with what the organisation does and all the work our LSE Volunteers do with us.”

Natalie Bell, Head of Youth and Community Programmes at Coin Street Community Builders with LSE Volunteer, Rinako Uenishi

Community Impact Award

This award was introduced this year for the Halls of Residence with the most volunteers who participated in a one-off volunteering opportunity. The High Holborn Residence was the first recipient of this award having had 25 volunteers take part in 50 one-off opportunities. Sanjana Khanna, the Events Organiser on the High Holborn Committee, picked up the award on behalf of her halls and said: “We really tried to make sure that all our halls residents got together and did something for the community and gave back.”

To see more photos from the event please check our Facebook page

Feeling inspired?

If you feel inspired and would like to volunteer, you can search for opportunities on our website. We can also support you to identify and search for opportunities. Book a one-to-one volunteering discussion for further information and advice on what’s right for you.

 

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Farah Chowdhury

Posted In: Volunteer Centre

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