For the second year in a row, students from UCL have won an HEACF (Higher Education Active Community Fund) Student Volunteering Award. The Music Project – established by medical student, and Union Environment and Ethics Officer, Joyce Ngai – runs weekly music workshops with children from the Kings Cross area. Its success has been recognised by the award, which celebrates outstanding achievements in the field of student volunteering. The judges described the project as "an exemplar of good practice in volunteering – student led, sustainable, imaginative and fulfilling a genuine need."
Joyce set up the Music Project last year as a way of sharing her interest in music with children in the local community, and to give other UCL students a chance to put their musical talents to good use. She teamed up with the Calthorpe Project, a local environmental charity and community centre, who provided a venue and identified a group of local children who would benefit from the sessions. Whilst the original plan was to run the project as a one-off activity in the October 2005, the event was such a success that Joyce and her team were asked to offer weekly music sessions. Since then the Music Project has gone from strength to strength. In June 2006, Joyce handed over the reins to Sharon Khoo (Mathematics) and Katherine Haworth (Medicine), who now plan to expand to another site in January, as well as continuing the sessions at Calthorpe.
"It is wonderful to know that some of the children have taken up playing an instrument as a result of the project," said Joyce. "I have made wonderful friends in the community which I would not have done otherwise. I think the award should belong as much to the children, parents and Calthorpe Project, as it would not have been such a success without their support. A huge thank you to the VSU for giving me the opportunity and helping me realise what is possible."
Joyce, Sharon and Katherine ran the Music Project as part of the VSU’s Innovations Programme, a scheme where students who want to lead their own volunteering projects are provided with training, resources and advice. Last year, another Innovations Programme group – the UCL Language Skills Pool – won an HEACF Student Volunteering Award.
John Braime, Voluntary Services Coordinator, said: "We’re really proud of Joyce, Sharon and Katherine and their team of volunteers. They thoroughly deserve this award, both for the hard work they’ve put in, and for the difference they’ve made to a group of local children."
Mila Campoy from the Calthorpe Project said: "The parents have told me that they are so impressed with the UCL students – they think it’s wonderful that their children can have one-to-one support, and that they’re really learning music."
For more information about the Voluntary Services Unit, go to: www.uclunion.org/volunteers or contact John Braime at: j.braime@ucl.ac.uk
Joyce set up the Music Project last year as a way of sharing her interest in music with children in the local community, and to give other UCL students a chance to put their musical talents to good use. She teamed up with the Calthorpe Project, a local environmental charity and community centre, who provided a venue and identified a group of local children who would benefit from the sessions. Whilst the original plan was to run the project as a one-off activity in the October 2005, the event was such a success that Joyce and her team were asked to offer weekly music sessions. Since then the Music Project has gone from strength to strength. In June 2006, Joyce handed over the reins to Sharon Khoo (Mathematics) and Katherine Haworth (Medicine), who now plan to expand to another site in January, as well as continuing the sessions at Calthorpe.
"It is wonderful to know that some of the children have taken up playing an instrument as a result of the project," said Joyce. "I have made wonderful friends in the community which I would not have done otherwise. I think the award should belong as much to the children, parents and Calthorpe Project, as it would not have been such a success without their support. A huge thank you to the VSU for giving me the opportunity and helping me realise what is possible."
Joyce, Sharon and Katherine ran the Music Project as part of the VSU’s Innovations Programme, a scheme where students who want to lead their own volunteering projects are provided with training, resources and advice. Last year, another Innovations Programme group – the UCL Language Skills Pool – won an HEACF Student Volunteering Award.
John Braime, Voluntary Services Coordinator, said: "We’re really proud of Joyce, Sharon and Katherine and their team of volunteers. They thoroughly deserve this award, both for the hard work they’ve put in, and for the difference they’ve made to a group of local children."
Mila Campoy from the Calthorpe Project said: "The parents have told me that they are so impressed with the UCL students – they think it’s wonderful that their children can have one-to-one support, and that they’re really learning music."
For more information about the Voluntary Services Unit, go to: www.uclunion.org/volunteers or contact John Braime at: j.braime@ucl.ac.uk
