Lunchtime Talks: Volunteering
This year, we hosted a series of panel talks for our students to discover Volunteering. 
Other ways to find volunteering
We want to make it as easy as possible for UCL students to find rewarding and enjoyable volunteering. But with hundreds of opportunities on offer, how do you find the right one for you? Here are some suggestions:
Volunteering - Welcome Events
There are loads of ways to get involved with volunteering - including our Welcome Events. We have one-off volunteering, information sessions, networking breakfasts and more.Have browse, sign up and get involved.
"I consider it very significant if you can touch even a single life with your thoughts and ideas and give them tools for their minds"
I spoke to the lovely Alankrita Singh, a master's student studying MA in Sociology in childhood and children rights at the Institute of Education (IOE) and is one of the project leaders for CreativeMinds. 
17 Goals for People, for Planet
In September, as the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly commences, instead of focusing on a dedicated Sustainable Development Goal the UN turns to the Agenda 2030 project as a whole to reflect on progress and on how we can improve in the last 7.5 years before the year 2030.
Alumni Stories - Adrianna Chmielewska
Whilst studying for her BA Comparative Literature at UCL, Adrianna Chmielewska also volunteered with Action Tutoring. Graduating in 2020, she now works as a teacher.
Afghanistan one year on - the UCL student response
Throughout the last academic year, UCL students were busy fundraising and volunteering in response to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
UCL Charity Consultancy Challenge 2022
Take a group of UCL students who’ve never met before, put them into a totally new situation for a week – what can they achieve? Quite a lot, as it happens.
"The best thing during the challenge was getting to work with people from so many different cultural and academic backgrounds"
Mya is a first-year student studying Human Sciences at UCL. She took part in UCL's first ever Charity Consultancy Challenge, which ran over the course of one-week back in June. She told us about the skills she gained from it and how she and her team managed to create a period pad from water hyacinth in such a short time!
UCL offers such an amazingly wide range of volunteering opportunities, which not only allow you to help others but also to develop yourself as a person.
In addition to  Emma Bunting’s PhD in Neuroscience, for which she researches Huntington’s Disease, she’s been an active volunteer throughout her time at UCL. Recently, she took part in the inaugural UCL Charity Consultancy Challenge; we caught up with Emma to find out more.
"Volunteering makes me feel more hopeful, especially seeing the kids’ passion. It pretty much rubs off on you and it tells me that the world is going into good hands."
Eimear is a PhD student working in computational chemistry looking to apply her knowledge to renewable energy.
So, if you are thinking about doing it, make big pros and cons lists, and the pros will always outweigh the cons.
I spoke to the lovely Amrutha, who is in her fifth year in medicine, Anisha, who is in her third year of medicine intercalating in global health, and Humza, who is in his second year studying medicine, about their Project Leader roles in the Student-Led Project,
"Children know they will be having a lot of fun (and volunteers too!), so they look forward to the session during the whole week."
Lou Baigneres is an incoming second-year Economics with a Year Abroad student doubling as a Volunteer Sports Coach with KEEN London. KEEN London supports children with disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorder.
SDG#8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
IMF is predicting an equal or worse recession than that of 2009 citing the pandemic-induced economic crisis as the worst since the Great Depression. Amid the rising cost of living and this post-Covid economic crisis we turn towards Sustainable Development Goal #8, Decent Work and Economic Growth this August.
"These people are struggling. They have been through a lot and with a little effort we can make a huge difference to their lives."
Shuan is a first-year International Social and Political Studies student specialising in anthropology. She works as a project leader for the Student-Led Project Impact Initiative, a project founded to aid the English learning of Afghan Refugees in London.
" ...young people know best what they need for their generation, and then we can help support that"
Julia, from Brandon Centre, shares with us their collaborative work with the Student.-Led Project b.zine. Keep reading to find out about the very impactful partnership they have built.
Alumni Stories - Virad Kisan
Virad Kisan was a keen volunteer whilst studying Medicine at UCL. He now works as a junior doctor in the NHS - we caught up with him recently to find out how his experiences as a volunteer have been useful in his career.
"Since I had some time during the term, I wanted to put it to good use and so volunteering felt like the natural choice."
From in-person to online volunteering- Chun Lam has tested both out! Read on to find out more about his experience.Tell us a little about your volunteering
Welcome to the Volunteering Service 2023
Get involved!Are you interested in adding an extra spin on your UCL experience? Read on to find out more about how you can get involved in volunteering.
"I’m not only teaching them but the same time I'm constantly learning something as well"
Shiqi Li is studying Msc Translation and Technology (with interpreting) in Centre for Multidisciplinary and Intercultural Inquiry.