Ah, London. For a lot of you, it’ll be your new home for the next few years. London is big and busy, filled with lots of places to explore, opportunities to experience and memories to be made. You'll get pretty familiar with the place the longer you study here, but there's another way to get to know London that's different to your typical day-to-day routine.
If you want to see more of London, meet its communities and leave your mark on the place, why not give volunteering a go? We’ve got hundred of volunteering opportunities that really show the best the capital has to offer and it’s such a great way to meet your fellow Londoners. Here's a few ideas to help you get started.
Since you’ll probably be in the Camden area quite a bit, why not volunteer with the local Age UK there and help your older neighbours who have dementia? You'll be a friendly face to older people who are at risk of loneliness.
Want to explore the East End of London? Home to the 2012 Olympics and the new spot for UCL's East London campus, City Harvest need volunteers to help with their food redistribution programme.
If you want to be part of the iconic London Marathon cheering on volunteers, you can do so with Mencap and this opportunity.
Ever watched Notting Hill? Fell in love with the space? Why not volunteer with the Museum of Brands, right in the heart of the place.
Sometimes, there’s just no place like home so you could volunteer right on campus at the Bloomsbury Festival, who need your assistance making sure it runs as smoothly as possible.
International student Nashwa Naushad volunteered at lots of one-off events across London, saying it helped her feel "more at home in a foreign country" - if you want to make London your home away from home, volunteering might be the way forward.
Volunteering can bring you closer to communities, fight for causes you're passionate about, meet new people and fall in love with a new place. Welcome to volunteering. Welcome to London.
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