Oct 25 2011: Student community volunteers receive Royal seal of approval
COMMUNITY conscious students at the University of Sheffield have been given the Royal seal of approval.
The University Students’ Union organisation Sheffield Volunteering – which encourages students to become involved in community projects – is the first Students’ Union group to receive a Duke of York’s Community Initiative Award.Students’ Union Activities Officer Nabil Alizai received the award from the Duke in a special ceremony at he Army Foundation College in Harrogate.
This Students’ Union was among 30 organisations to receive awards from the Duke, with projects covering everything from work with older people to sport, disabilities, drug rehabilitation and the homeless.
After receiving his award from the Duke, Nabil said: “The University of Sheffield Students Union is extremely proud to have been recognised for the work it does in the community.
“Our goal is to encourage active citizenship, which means helping students and staff to get involved with and make a positive difference in the Sheffield community.
“Students often tell us that they got involved to do something, give something back or simply feel more involved in the community around them.
“It's about escaping that student bubble and, at the same time, we also hope that, having got the bug, our volunteers will carry on throughout University and beyond.”
Among the projects Sheffield Volunteering is involved with are:
• Supporting individual students, clubs & societies to lead projects.
• Raising aspirations in local schools through trained mentors.
• Facilitating academic outreach – sharing skills and expertise in the community.
• Promoting volunteer vacancies on behalf of charities and voluntary groups.
• Co-ordinating 'alternative' team-building activities for staff.
Last year, 1,500 students and staff from over 55 departments got involved in Sheffield Volunteering, benefiting more than a hundred local charities and voluntary groups.
