Every year we work with a group of students who are passionate about volunteering and who also want to inspire the rest of the student body to volunteer. They’ll be sharing their amazing volunteering experiences through blogs, Instagram and face-to-face on stalls with us. So without further-ado, we’d like to hand over to our Student Volunteering Ambassadors to introduce themselves…

Amna Bhatti (BA Geography, 2023)

Hi there, I’m Amna and I’m a first year BA Geography student. I’ll be one of the student volunteering ambassadors for 2020/21 which is an absolute honour! Volunteering has been a big part of my life and has contributed to my personal development multiple times and so being a representative and showing people how it has benefitted me and taking part in more opportunities in volunteering at the LSE is something I look forward to a lot! Volunteering really does align with my beliefs and values and so I’m very passionate about taking part and contributing as much as I can! There are so many different projects to volunteer for and I’m exciting to see what I can do this year! Feel free to contact me or approach me for any questions and/or ideas on my Instagram @amna.bhatti_ OR in person if you see me on campus!

Ananya Jain (LLB Laws, 2022)

Hello! My name is Ananya and I’m a second year Law student. My experiences with volunteering have allowed me to not only make a tangible difference in my community but have also been vital to my personal and career development, as a result of which I’m very excited to help empower students to volunteer for causes they are passionate about. Volunteering is a particularly rewarding activity in the context of the current pandemic, since it is a great exercise in community building and can help cope with feelings of inertia and helplessness. I do hope you will explore the range of volunteering opportunities available to you this year! Please feel free to reach out to me at a.jain96@lse.ac.uk if you have any ideas for campaigns you’d like to see us run, or have any questions about volunteering as a student at the LSE.

Dan Lawes (BSc in International Relations and History, 2022) 

Hey, I’m Dan! I am a second year International Relations and History student, and I can’t wait to get involved as a Volunteering Ambassador this year. Volunteering has played a tremendous role in my life as I have found that the satisfaction you get from devoting your time to a cause you are passionate about is next to none. I founded the national non-profit organisation, YouthPolitics UK, which works to empower thousands of young people through civic education and political engagement. This has shown me first-hand the positive influence that voluntary work can have by providing an opportunity to not only help others but also promote your own personal development. Alongside my work with youth political engagement, I am also an ambassador for HRH #iWill Campaign and a youth advisor to the Bank of England and the international human rights organisation, the Right to Education Initiative. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me on d.lawes@lse.ac.uk

Ed Unwin (BSc in International Relations, 2022)

Hello, I’m Ed! I am a second year International Relations student, but you may have also seen me with the LSESU United Nations Society throughout the term. I have found volunteering to be a great opportunity to not only help worthwhile causes, but also be personally enriching. I believe every student could benefit from volunteering experience, which is why I’m so glad to be a volunteering ambassador this year. The volunteer centre truly represents the best of LSE, encouraging both initiative as well as empathy in our community, so I hope everyone can get involved!

Fatima Kane (BSc in Economics, 2022)

Hey! My name’s Fatima, I’m a second year Economics student and a (returning) student volunteering ambassador as well! The LSE volunteer centre has been tremendously helpful in my first year: it enabled me to connect with wonderful people and charities, and changed my student experience for the better. Volunteering has always been a passion of mine and I’m so grateful to be able to share it with fellow students for another year!

Fay Pantazopoulou (MSc in Media and Communications, 2021)

Hey everyone! I’m Fay, I’m from Greece and I am a Masters student in Media and Communications in LSE. I am very happy to be writing this intro because this means that I made it as one of the Student Volunteering Ambassadors for 2020/21! I applied to this scheme as volunteering has been one of my passions since I started volunteering on my school’s annual charity events back in the day. Since then I have been given the opportunity to volunteer in many different projects, from a Film Festival to a Vocational Training Centre for displaced persons in Athens, Greece and from an Opportunity Manager for Incoming Global Volunteers in AIESEC student network to an Adviser at the Permanent Mission of Greece to the United Nations in NYC. I believe that there is a volunteer experience out there for everyone and my goal for this year is to help each and every one of you to find and conquer the volunteer project that fits your personality, interests and career aspirations. I believe that volunteering is an amazing way to become involved, to connect and to communicate with the school and the community especially during these difficult Covid-19 times. Please feel free to message me (@faypantazopoulou) or catch me on campus if you wish to have a chat about the available volunteering opportunities, or if I can help you with anything else! Looking forward to meeting you all!

Faye Mahon (BA in Social Anthropology, 2022)

Hi, I’m Faye, a second year social anthropology student. Volunteering helps me to stay connected to life outside of LSE and to make a positive contribution to the community in an ethical and fulfilling way.

Fenfang Zhang (BSc in Politics and Economics, 2021)

Hey there, I am Fengfang from Singapore! While trying to adapt to a new life in London, volunteering unfortunately took a backseat in my first year. One thing good that came out of the onset of COVID-19 is the amount of time that got spared up so I could serve the underprivileged and more vulnerable communities again! 🙂 

Haritha Sriram (Global MSc in Management, 2021)

Hey everyone, I’m Haritha, currently pursuing the first year of a two-year Global Masters in the Management programme and I’m one of the student volunteer ambassadors for the academic year 2020-2021. The last year made me realise that getting involved in volunteering activities provides a sense of purpose and a range of positive emotions. Some students often don’t get involved in volunteering, not because they don’t want to volunteer, but because they don’t realise the impact it provides and over-estimate the efforts or the time it takes to make a difference. Through this opportunity, I’m hoping to break that notion, communicate the impact of volunteering and develop LSE Volunteering Community. With all the things that are happening around us, there could be no better time for all of us to interact more, get involved in volunteering activities, support one another and the community around us. Feel free to get in touch with me about anything you would like to share 😊

Maria Hellel (BSc in Finance and Accounting, 2022)

Hi guys, I’m Maria, a second year Accounting and Finance student. I applied to be a Student Volunteering Ambassador this year so I could get more involved within and give back to the LSE community. Hopefully, I can inspire others to do the same! I find volunteering really rewarding and love that while helping others you can also help yourself. I hope to build our volunteering community and encourage everyone to get involved, no matter how big or small the activity 🙂

Mari Ogino (BSc in Economics, 2023)

Hi everyone! My name is Marie, and I am honored to be your student volunteering ambassador for 2020-2021. In my spare time, I volunteer because it gives me a chance to meet new people and make friends along the way! Through volunteering, I have collected food items, tutored students, painted kitchens, directed a documentary and built a 6-foot-tall copper dinosaur- yes, you read that correctly XD. Despite the current situation we’re in, I am hopeful that we can find a silver lining and connect with one another virtually, so that we can give back to not only our community but to those around the world! Feel free to say “hi” if you see me around campus, and I hope to see you at our future volunteering events!

Pravin Nikam (MSc in Human Rights, 2021) 

Hello, I am Adv. Pravin Nikam a lawyer and a human rights defender from India. I am currently studying MSc Human Rights and Politics at London School of Economics and Political Science. I feel volunteerism is a powerful means of engaging young people in tackling development challenges across the globe. I have been volunteering for the last ten years via various social initiatives with an aim to help people to reach their full social, economic and human potential, while instilling a strong sense of civic engagement. I was awarded the prestigious National Youth Award by Government of India in recognition of my volunteer work.  Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Savitribai Phule, Shardabai Pawar, Indira Gandhi, Maya Angelou, Fatima Sheikh, Mother Teresa, Dr. Abdul Kalam and Baba Amte are my inspiration as their life journeys have always encouraged the spirit of volunteerism in me. I founded ROSHNI Foundation, which is a non-profit organisation, focused on reproductive health rights, legal aid, gender equality and peacebuilding. “UNESCO – Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Peace” recognised my volunteer work as “Best of Act of Kindness” under youth campaign on kindness for the SDG’s. I also served as a Commonwealth Election Observer for the Presidential Elections of Democratic Republic of Zambia in 2016 appointed by the Secretary General of Commonwealth Secretariat. It’s truly a great honour to be the LSE Student Volunteer Ambassador for 2020-21. Please feel free to reach out to me at pravinnikamindia@gmail.com ; on twitter, instagram, facebook, and linkedIn @PravinNikams

Sewon Hwang (BSc in International Relations, 2021)

Hi guys! My name is Sewon, and I am a returning ambassador for 2020/21. Last year, working for the Volunteering Centre inspired me so much that I decided to work as an ambassador again. Seeing my peers participate in and orchestrate volunteering events really motivated me to do more that I am even volunteering for the LSESU Food Cycle society this year! I hope our work could motivate you guys to get involved as well. Feel free to get in touch on Instagram (@sewon.hwang), and please don’t hesitate to ask me about volunteering whenever you see me on campus. Thanks for reading this, and hope you have a great day!

Shahzeb Khan (BSc in Actuarial Science, 2022) 

Hey everyone! My name is Shahzeb Khan and I am a second year Actuarial Science student at the LSE. The reason I became a Student Volunteer Ambassador is because of how much volunteering has helped me throughout my life. When I first came to LSE last year I was living in a totally foreign country, starting a totally new life and the entire experience was tense and stressful to me. But volunteering through LSE helped me gain a footing on my situation and allowed me to make precious memories which allowed me to grow as a person. I know the year must already be extremely stressful to you all with the pandemic ongoing and volunteering might seem tough to many. But I believe that when things get difficult, it is the best time to volunteer as that is when you are most needed so I highly encourage you to try to take part if you can. I look forward to sharing my experiences and passions about volunteering with everyone. I am always open to a chat so please feel free to reach out!

Sharmishtha Desai (BSc in Economics, 2021)

Hi! I’m Sharmishtha (a third year Economics student) and I’m excited to be a Student Volunteering Ambassador this year. Volunteering has been a great way to help and engage with my local community whilst developing a range of skills. The LSE Volunteer Centre has lots of opportunities for students; regardless of what you’re passionate about, or what skills you want to develop through volunteering, there is likely to be an opportunity that suits you!

Have your ambassadors inspired you to volunteer already? Check out all of the volunteering opportunities you can get involved in on CareerHub! You can also book a one-to-one with David Coles, the Volunteer Centre Manager if you have more questions. And why not follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up-to-date with our events and opportunities and read our blog for more volunteering tips and stories.