Saying yes is the beginning

Hello guys!

My name is Pramila Limbu and I am currently studying International business.  As part of my student-led project I coordinated the Garden makeover for Age Concern on 4^th of November 2013.

Why I said yes?

I always had a passion of helping others and improving the community. Even though my degree is international business which is not directly related to what this project is about. Volunteering has always been a hobby of mine since I was in school. In school there were various fund raisers I was involved in. I remember particularly when I was in the choir. We raised money for St. Helena hospice by doing a mini concert for the local community. I also volunteered for sense charity shop on Saturdays for 4 years. When I was in college I volunteered for conservation for areas like Abberton reserve, Fringringhoe and Bradwell on sea.
There was also another reason that I had never led a project so, this was an opportunity for me to experience the excitement and hard work that goes into leading a volunteering project.

Project day!

On the day I was nervous but I didn't have to be as Sarah (volunteering coordinator) was also with me which was good.  I was most afraid about the turnout of people but I had more than enough people to volunteer for the project. So, I was very happy. The weather was great and sunny which was a plus. After that we got on with it and finished the job. Below are pictures of the event as pictures speak a thousand words!

Volunteers on the day: Adeeba, Ayan, Fadame, Nazya, Sarah (KUSU Projects Volunteer Coordinator), Selvia, and Sofie.

Results!

This experience made me very proud of myself as I know that I made a change in the age concern garden. I am now inspired to start a project myself if I want to and not just volunteer when there is a project. If you have an idea make it happen and don't wait for others to come up with the Idea and regret it later. So, this experience was very eye opening for me. There were lots of documents to fill in, various meetings to discuss at and visiting the site several times. But, it was all worth it at the end. The feels you get is amazing and gives you a different kind of buzz. Lastly this would have been possible without the lovely volunteers. Thank you very much once again!

If you are interested in setting up and running your own volunteering project, then contact KUSU Volunteering at S.Dutton@kingston.ac.uk.

Volunteering at Kingston Hospital

Hi my name is Karis and I am graduating in Biomedical Science. 

As I am hoping to study medicine the following year I thought it would be a good idea to experience the real life environment of a hospital and have the chance to help people at the same time. This was when I found the opportunity to volunteer in  A&E  and the wards in Kingston Hospital via the Kingston University Student Union volunteering website. 

I attend the hospital once a month at the moment and help out on an afternoon with tea making, offering food and generally being someone there for the patients to talk to. If the ward is quiet then from time to time I also help patients fill out a patient response form so they can give their opinion on the service they have received, which is vital for making improvements. 

Whilst helping out I have also had the chance to talk to many consultants, nurses and junior doctors who have shared their experiences with me and gave me advice for the future. This is a useful volunteering opportunity for someone who wants to have a career in the medical profession and as you can chose when and how often to attend the hospital you can work it around your needs. The hospital can provide you with a parking permit or pay for your travel expenses from the train. 

If you have a few spare hours or an afternoon I would definitely give it a go!