The sun has been shining, the birds have been singing and the Student Hubs team have been smiling. This April we have launched a new project, celebrated our programmes and hosted several fun events as part of the Spring Fundraiser.
The Launch of Inspire, Debate, Change
On Monday 12 April, Bristol Hub and Southampton Hub launched the pilot of Inspire, Debate, Change. The project aims to introduce young people to UK political processes, teach them about their rights, and inspire them to make change in their local communities. All through a series of 6 workshops.
We are now half way through the pilot and our student leaders have been delivering the interactive sessions virtually. So far they have covered rights and responsibilities and a two parter on government, elections and voting.
A huge well done to Catherine, Sofia and Manveer in Southampton, and Elle, Hannah and Zac in Bristol, for the launch. I can’t wait to see where this programme goes next.
Celebrations in Kingston
Kingston have had a busy month celebrating the achievements of their Service Learning students and their volunteers.
Kingston Hub Programmes Manager, Junior, kicked the month off with a Service Learning showcase. Graphic Design students have spent the last three months working on consultancy projects for two non profit organisations, the Rio Ferdinand Foundation and Caius House Youth Club. The students have used their knowledge to bring positive impact to the community, whilst developing skills in problem solving and communication.
Meanwhile, Projects Officer, Ewelina, has been celebrating the Hub’s volunteers with a special event. 15 volunteers from Schools+, Empower, Spiral and the new Digital Champion programme joined the session. This year Kingston Hub volunteers have contributed a combined 528 hours to their community. Ewelina celebrated the impact they have made through quotes from students, partners and participants. During the session, the volunteers created a word cloud, capturing how they feel about volunteering with Kingston Hub.
Case Closed
As part of our Spring Fundraiser, this month we hosted a murder mystery for our alumni and wider network. It was a brilliant night and over 40 detectives joined Detective Orange to crack the case of Jodie Fruitster. The evening featured interviews with our three suspects, a series of clues to find the location of the party and a case file filled with photographs, statements and other pieces of evidence. Thank you for joining and helping us raise a huge £165.
If you weren’t able to join this time, we would love to see you at our next event. To keep up to date with Student Hubs’ Alumni Network you can sign up to our mailing list to receive our monthly newsletter, or join our Facebook group.
In the Spotlight
This month we wanted to put everyone who has contributed to our Spring Fundraiser so far in the spotlight. Our local Hubs have shared Innovation Spotlights, highlighting how we support students to innovate in their local communities. Our staff team have taken part in the Innovate 8 Challenge, committing to 8 hours of activity across 3 days. Finally, our donors have joined us for a wide range of events including our 12 hour Twitch stream. The stream included an art session, a radio play of the Importance of Being Earnest and a pub quiz as well as live gaming and great chat from Sofa Buddies.
All of this has helped to build our Innovate Fund, which supports us to innovate and establish student and community projects by investing in our network, operations and staff team. The Spring Fundraiser is still underway so if you would like to donate, you can find out how to do so by visiting our website and you can read more about what has happened so far on our blog.
What to Look Out for
- Our Innovation Workshop for Volunteering Reaching Students and Young People is taking place on 6 May from 10am-12pm. Tickets are £15 and all proceeds go to the Innovate Fund.
- Our free webinar for students, Starting Your Student Leadership Journey, is on 4 May from 3-4pm.