This week is LSE Student Volunteering Week. The overarching theme for the whole week is ‘inclusion’, with each day holding events centred around a sub-theme. Friday is being led by Anushka (BSc Anthropology and Law), who has chosen to focus her events around Poverty. In this blogpost, she will reflect on why she chose this theme and share the Friday events!
Hi, I’m Anushka. I am a third-year Anthropology and Law student and a Student Volunteering Ambassador this year. I am excited to be organising the Friday of Student Volunteering Week where our focus of the day will be on ‘poverty’. The word poverty, in its most basic form, means a lack of access to the resources necessary for a person or community to meet their basic needs. This can include a lack of access to food, clean water, shelter, clothing, and healthcare. Many people measure poverty in terms of income, however, it is also about access to basic necessities and opportunities which many of us take for granted. The overarching theme of this year’s Student Volunteering Week is ‘inclusion’ and as poverty disproportionately affects marginalised and underrepresented groups, I hope to use this day to address systemic barriers and inequities that contribute to poverty.
London, like many other major cities, has significant poverty and inequality. While it is a vibrant and prosperous city, it is also home to many people who struggle to make ends meet. One of the most visible signs of poverty in London is homelessness. On a day-to-day basis, many of us see this on our walk or commute to campus.
Despite these challenges, there are many organisations and charities that are working to address poverty. A charity that I worked closely with last year was Project Giving who distribute food to those in need in London and the surrounding areas. It was incredible to see the difference you can make in people’s lives by taking a few hours out of the day to help meet the immediate needs of those who are experiencing homelessness. It was also humbling in many ways as it helped me to break down stereotypes and misconceptions about homelessness. Moreover, by working alongside a group of others to support those in need I was also able to make new friends with people from all different backgrounds and walks of life.
On Friday the 10th of March and Wednesday the 15th of March, the Volunteer Centre will be collaborating with Food for Life – the world’s largest vegetarian food distribution initiative whose food many of you would’ve had on campus – to offer you an opportunity to serve food to the homeless in Central London. Both volunteering sessions will be taking place at Lincoln Inn’s Fields and will begin at 6:30pm.
I am also excited to share that The ChildhoodTrust, London’s Child Poverty Charity, will be coming onto campus to give a talk about their research, volunteering, and internship opportunities exclusively for LSE students. During the event, you will have the chance to learn more about the incredible work the charity does and find out more about these amazing opportunities from current LSE students and alumni. The talk will be held at 3pm on campus. For more details about the events with Food for Life and The ChildhoodTrust, please visit CareerHub and if you have any further questions, please feel free to email me at a.patel66@lse.ac.uk.
I would also like to say a massive thank you to the LSESU KCSoc, Amnesty International Society, Catholic Society and Hindu Society, for their ongoing support.
If Anushka 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.
