At ARU Students' Union, we believe that everyone who spends their spare time to volunteer is a superstar! The volunteering that you are undertaking is helping students within Anglia Ruskin University, and we believe that your efforts, motivations, accomplishments and inspirations should all be celebrated. If you are, or know of a student who is an elected Representative or a Club or Society Committee Member, and you believe their volunteering work should be celebrated, you can nominate them to win one of our 2 monthly awards on your campus. Click here for more information. 

For now, join us in celebrating this month's winners!

Volunteer role: Rep of the Month - Cambridge - Course Representation

Name: Gawdham Krishna Melath

Course: Bsc Artificial Intelligence

1. What are your main duties and how do you help others?

My main duties involve representing my peers in the BSc Artificial Intelligence program and addressing their concerns. This helps others by ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are met within the academic community.

2. What have you enjoyed most about volunteering?

The most enjoyable aspect of volunteering is the opportunity to make a positive impact and i am a guy who always like to socialise volunteering give me great opportunity for that

3.  What skills have you learnt and used through your volunteering?

Through volunteering, I've learned and applied skills such as communication, problem-solving, and teamwork, which are valuable in both academic and professional settings.

Volunteer Role: Rep of the Month - Chelmsford

Name: Luwi Oyediji

Course: MSc Occupational Therapy year 2

1. What are your main duties and how do they help others?

My main duties are to represent students and help them bring concerns across if they have a complaint but don’t feel heard. To attend student union meetings talk about what's going really well with the course and what we feel needs to change. To speak on behalf of students, with their consent 

2. What have you enjoyed most about volunteering?

I have enjoyed representing students for good causes and giving support for students to be heard. I have also enjoyed, working with a team on such a level where we can make a difference, although sometimes may not achieve what we are looking for but something has been done about it.

3. What skills have you learnt and used through your volunteering?

I have learned how to multitask, and how to juggle studies, part time work, with being a volunteer on top of that, I have sharpened my people skills and how to create strong relationships.

Volunteer role: Committee Member of the Month - Treasurer of the ARU Women's Society (Cambridge)

Name: Lucy

Course: BSc Business Management

1. What are your main duties and how do they help others?

I am mainly responsible for the finances of the society, but have stepped into various roles like: event organising and marketing in order to make events happen for our society members consequently being the main responsible person leading the society for the majority of the last 2 years.

2. What have you enjoyed most about volunteering?

I have enjoyed taking on various tasks outside my dedicated role as treasurer, taking risks and trying new things. The main event I enjoyed the most was our Breast Cancer Awareness Fundraiser, which I organised, and we raised over £250 for the charity CoppaFeel! 

3. What skills have you learnt and used throughout your volunteering?

I have been able to enhance my leadership skills, decision-making, organisational and negotiating skills .This sometimes means taking decisions not everyone agrees with but will benefit the society and members in the long-term. 

Volunteer role: Committee Member of the Month - President of the ARU ISOC (Chelmsford)

Name: Talha Mehmood

Course: Medicine

1. What are your main duties and how do they help others?

As the president of our student Islamic society, my responsibilities include delegating tasks, organizing events, managing finances, coordinating volunteers, and nurturing a supportive atmosphere within our committee and broader community. These efforts directly contribute to our shared goal of raising funds for charity, providing welfare support for people of Muslim faith and others, and fostering a sense of belonging. However, it's important to acknowledge the tremendous dedication and hard work of committee members such as Amir, Hadi, Ayesha, Shanzeh, and Khadijah, among others. They are the true driving force behind our community initiatives, selflessly dedicating themselves to serving others.

2. What have you enjoyed most about volunteering?

What brings me the greatest joy in volunteering is the opportunity to positively impact the lives of others, form deep connections within our community, and gain invaluable leadership experience along the journey.

3. What skills have you learnt and used through your volunteering?

Volunteering has provided me with a diverse skill set, including event planning, budget management, effective communication, leadership, teamwork, cultural sensitivity, and empathy. These skills not only contribute to the success of our Islamic society but also contribute significantly to my personal and professional development.