This week gives universities the chance to highlight the great achievements of students

Kingston Uni students give a local greyhound shelter a lick of paint

As a Volunteer Coordinator at Kingston University Students’ Union, Student Volunteering Week means two things to me. Firstly, I will drink a year’s worth of tea in one week for a much needed caffeine fix. Secondly, and much more importantly, I’ll get to meet many exciting new volunteers either at one of the special taster events we organise or just as a result of the extra buzz that having an official week brings to student volunteering.

My day-to-day job focuses on working with student volunteers and organisations to create that perfect match, which makes for a happy volunteer and a satisfied organisation.

Student Volunteering Week gives us the chance to pause from that, step back, and highlight some of the great things that Kingston’s student volunteers are currently up to.

It gets us extra attention from the university (including this year a shout out from the Vice Chancellor in his prestigious monthly newsletter), plenty of extra visitors to our blog and usually some local media coverage which the volunteers involved love.

As well as bigging up our current volunteers, we try and make it as easy as possible for new ones to get involved. Each year we organise different taster sessions which are always hugely popular.

Already volunteers have got together to give a new lease of life to a neglected nature trail and brightened up the kennels of rescued greyhounds at a local shelter with a fresh lick of paint.

Coming up we’ve got plenty of crafty happenings including bunting workshops on campus to jazz up local street parties over the summer, and a visit from charity Knit for Peace on Thursday.

These may only be taster sessions but they are often the first step for students to get started and realise that volunteering provides the perfect outlet from their studies, makes them feel good about helping others and looks great on a CV!

Lucy Kerrigan is Volunteer Co-ordinator at Kingston University Students’ Union