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ϲ Engineering launches new partnership with Students’ Union ϲ Volunteering Service

15 October 2021

ϲ Engineering and theStudents’ Union ϲ Volunteering Service are excited to announce a new partnership which will seeincreased opportunities for ϲ Engineering students, as well as a data sharing agreement between the two parties.

A ϲ Engineering student volunteer leading an outreach session for schoolchildren.

ϲ Engineering has a well-established, award-winning education engagementprogramme. Volunteering is at the core of our engagement strategy -it isabout making a real difference and collectively contributing towards a more culturally and scientifically engaged society.

Successof ourprogrammesunquestionably depends upon the vital contribution of our student volunteers - their passion and active engagement bring events to life; they are the best ambassadors for STEM and Engineering.

ϲ students tell usthat volunteering helps them develop invaluabletransferable skills. Itcan also help improve theirwellbeing,andcan give them new perspectives on their academic subject. It also gives them the chance to make positive changes within the wider world, and to play a part within communities beyondϲ.

DrElpidaMakrygianniMBE,Head of Education Engagement at ϲ Engineering, explains:

We believe that volunteering has the power to transformlivesof the people in the communities we serve. Our over 800 staff and students have been actively supporting communities and working closely withorganisationson a wide range of projects. There is a real appetite to give back and make a difference, so we are delighted to have teamed up with Students’ Union ϲ Volunteering Service to offer high-quality volunteering opportunities to students and staff.”

Students' Union ϲ Volunteering Service (VS) exists to connect all ϲ students with good quality, rewarding volunteering across London. The VS matchesstudents up with opportunities fromtheir voluntary sector partners, supportsstudents to set up and run their own community activities and bringstogether Master's students and communityorganisationsfor collaborative researchprojects.

John Braime, Volunteering Manager at the ϲ Volunteering Service, comments:

We’re so pleased to be working with ϲ Engineering to support student volunteers. We’ve seenfirst-handsome of the fantastic work Engineering students have done in communities aroundLondon, andwould like even more students to get inspired and get involved.”

As ϲ Engineering volunteer student tutor Zarin Haque notes, the best aspect of volunteering

...is the bonding and social experience... [my tutees’]zeal to learn and excel inspires me to put in more effortfor my own assignments and exams.”

Dr Alice Moon, Careers Consultant from the ϲ Engineering Faculty Careers Team,adds:

This partnership is really exciting. Volunteering is a fantastic way for students to develop their employability - their skills, knowledge, experiences, networks, and more - in ways that we know employers really value. We regularly see Engineering students articulating what they have gained from their volunteer projects to make a positive impact in their CVs and interviews."

In a post-COVID-19 world,ϲ Engineering and the VShave even more to offer to the communities we serve, andwe believeit is our collective duty todo so.

We will work together to achieve this in the followingways:

ϲ Engineering and ϲ Volunteering Service agreement

  • Both parties will setup a data sharing agreement, so we can better track the number of ϲ Engineering student volunteers,hours and projects.
  • All ϲ Engineering volunteers will receive a Certificate ofVolunteering, and will be invited to a Volunteering Awards Ceremony to receive it.
  • All ϲ Engineering volunteers will be invited to take part in personal development/training opportunities organised by the VS.
  • ճon the VS websiteshowsvolunteering opportunities that are particularly relevant forϲEngineering students;links to this page will be added to all ϲ Engineering departmental website Study sections, plus theFacultywebsite Study section.
  • The VSand ϲ Engineering will circulate volunteering opportunities relevant toϲ Engineering students via the student intranet, its associated newsletter, and the ϲ Engineering Careers newsletter.
  • The VS will create at least one one-off volunteering opportunity per year for ϲEngineering students.
  • The VS will show data and case studies relating toϲ Engineering's volunteering programme in its annual review of volunteering, to help raise wider awareness of the programme and the efforts ofϲ Engineering volunteers.
  • ϲ Engineeringwillpromote its own volunteering opportunities through theVS.

Links

Image

  • Caption: A ϲ Engineering student volunteer leading a school outreach session in 2019.
  • Credit: Students' Union ϲ Volunteering Service.