Student Volunteer gains national recognition
Current student Claire Sedgwick has recently won a national award which recognises her volunteering efforts through Northumbria Student’s Union. Article written by current Media and Journalism student Vikki Howes |
Last month Claire and Kirsty McDine, both students at Northumbria University, won regional awards for volunteering supported by Northumbria Students' Unions’ volunteering programme NSCA, (which stands for Northumbria Student Community Action). They both went on to be nominated for National Vinspired Awards and, at the glamorous awards ceremony held in November at London’s O2 Arena, Claire Sedgwick found out she was a winner.
“I was really pleased to find out that I had won the award as it was so unexpected,” said Claire. “I was glad to have the support of NSCA throughout the project and feel that the award is a representation of their hard work as much as mine.”
NSCA aims to support students to devise and deliver their own community volunteering projects within the North East. Claire was the project leader for Writing in the Community. This involved working alongside the North of England Refugee Service which provides support for refugees and asylum seekers in the local area.
Claire, currently in her third year, studying English, at Northumbria, said, “Doing the project has allowed me to develop skills in a way that I don't think would have been possible in a part time job. I've also made great friends at the project and continue to go to the writing group.”
NSCA is run primarily by the Student Volunteering Co-ordinator Lady Kitt. The scheme gives students the opportunity to start their own projects as well as working on projects that other students have already set up. Students who have volunteered for over a year have the chance to become mentors to the project leaders and volunteers.
“I am delighted that two of our student volunteers have won Regional Vinspired Awards, and I’m so pleased for Claire that she has won a National Award as well” said Kitt, “It’s wonderful to see students receiving recognition for the hard work, organisation and enthusiasm that goes into devising and leading projects like these.”
Kitt hopes that the awards will encourage more people to volunteer on the scheme, either running their own projects (like Claire and Kirsty) or joining one of the current projects which can range from running arts workshops with children to a recent Random Acts of Kindness Project which included taking charity shop workers home made cakes and flasks of tea for their efforts.
For more information become friends with NSCA on Facebook (Nsca Ace) or take a look at the website
Date posted: December 14, 2009
