March was all about challenges. Just not how you think. In March, we delivered various challenge projects, engaging a variety of students across three different institutions.
City Challenge
Our Bristol Hub Projects Officer, Will, got involved with the University of Bristol’s Careers Service City Challenge this month, which focused on ‘How can Bristol Hub better engage students in events and volunteering?”. The students delivered some very interesting and helpful presentations which provided great recommendations and ideas of how the Hub can use their social media as well as what information to share. The students were passionate about getting involved in social action events and they provided great suggestions of how people can be retained in volunteering such as signposting one-off volunteers to a larger network of opportunities.
Social Enterprise Challenge
Our Kingston Hub Manager, Unsal, delivered the Social Enterprise Challenge as part of Kingston University’s Careers Festival. Over the course of two weeks, student groups had the chance to take part in workshops to learn more about social innovation and human-centred design. In teams the students defined a problem, generated solutions and came up with an implementation plan. They focused on areas such as sustainability, food poverty, mental health and inclusion and had the chance to pitch their innovative ideas to a panel of Hub and University staff.
Student ideas included a workshop series educating other students on learning disabilities, a game raising awareness on sustainability among university students and a new app which aims to develop connections between local stores and food charities, such as food banks, tackling food waste.
Charity Challenge
The charity challenge was an exciting event held at Leeds Conservatoire on the 21st of March 2023 where students were invited to suggest solutions for the challenges that local charities in Leeds face. This was an opportunity for students to gain and practice problem solving, time management and presentation skills. There was no limit to how creative the students could get with their solutions and strategies.
One of the students incorporated a ‘free writing’ exercise as a solution where individuals write freely for a specific period of time with no limitation on topics.The idea is that after a set period of time, they share what they have written and new ideas are highlighted. This is useful when organisations struggle to come up with ideas to overcome the challenges they face.
In the Spotlight
In April, Yingxin Zhang has joined our Cambridge Hub team as a People & activities Manager. Here is a brief intro from Yingxin themselves. ‘I’m from a small village in China. After completing my undergraduate studies in English language back home, I decided to pursue my passion for gender studies and enrolled in a Master of Philosophy degree in Multi-disciplinary Gender Studies at Cambridge, where I gained a deeper understanding of issues related to gender and social justice. My academic journey has given me the knowledge and skills to make a difference in the world, and I am eager to use my experiences and perspective to contribute to meaningful change here at Student Hubs. As a People and Activities Manager at Cambridge Hub, I am passionate about social justice and equality, with a particular focus on gender and racial equality, as well as the intersection of environmental issues with race, gender, class, and culture. I am excited to continue my work promoting social justice and climate justice, and using my skills to make a positive impact on the world. In my free time, I enjoy reading listening to music, or walking in nature, finding inspiration in the beauty and complexity of the world around us.’
What to Look Out For
- Student Hubs Book Club – Book Pick for April
As we are continuing with our Book Club, the book pick for April is We Had to Remove This Post by Hanna Bervoets. Join our Discord Server here.
- NSVAs
This year, Student Hubs is delivering the National Societies and Volunteering Awards. You can find out more about the Awards and get your ticket on Eventbrite today.
- Alumni Wrap-Up
Check our instagram stories for our usual biweekly alumni wrap-up for more news and opportunities.