Student Volunteer Ambassador Ed Unwin (BSc in International Relations, 2022) speaks about his experience as a Student Volunteer Ambassador. Ed won the LSE Volunteer of the Year award in 2021.

1. Help others volunteer

As a Student Volunteer Ambassador, one of the most important weeks of the year is Student Volunteering Week. Student Volunteering Week (SVW) is a national celebration of all the fantastic volunteering that students do whilst they are studying. It focuses on the way volunteering improves student wellbeing, develops students’ employability and contributes positively to the wider and local community. Organising the campaign is lead by 3 SVAs.This year our team of SVAs hosted 15 events over the week for all students to get involved with.

Throughout the week, I was able to meet dozens of LSE students interested in volunteering whilst attending the events. In particular, I photographed a collection of volunteers at LSE in order to celebrate their volunteering and share their experiences.

2. Share your story on blogs and social media

Throughout the year I was given the opportunity to share my volunteering experiences to the wider LSE community through the volunteer centre’s social media and blogs (such as this one). A highlight of the year was attending the Volunteer Awards and having the opportunity to speak to a crowd of LSE’s volunteering community.

3. Meet others passionate about volunteering

As a SVA you will become part of the friendly and welcoming community of volunteers at LSE. Through SVA meet-ups, coffee mornings, and activities I discovered friendships that I wouldn’t have otherwise. Moreover, if you are interested in working with charities, you will have the opportunity to encounter many causes and campaigns through Charity Tuesday or Student Volunteering Week.

If you’d like to become a Student Volunteer Ambassador you can apply to be part of this year’s new cohort

If Ed has inspired you to volunteer, check out one of our other ongoing opportunities or book a one-to-one with David Coles, the Volunteer Centre Manager if you have more questions. And why not follow us on Twitter, and Instagram to stay up-to-date with our events and opportunities and read our blog for more volunteering tips and stories.