New volunteering initiative launched
Posted on 09/03/2011
A King's student in South Africa
Students from King’s will be involved in a pilot scheme as part of the new International Citizen Service (ICS) programme, launched today by Prime Minister David Cameron.
Funded by the Department for International Development, the ICS programme is a global volunteering experience which supports young people from all backgrounds to make a real difference to some of the world’s poorest people.
ICS will give hundreds of 18 – 22 year olds across the UK the chance to serve in the fight against global poverty. Places are also available for some team leaders over the age of 22 who will mentor the other volunteers and contribute their skills and experience.
As part of the first year roll-out of ICS, The Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET) is piloting a specialist programme for 20 students and young graduates from King’s, who are expected to depart this summer.
Volunteers will work in teams, supported by local partners, to design their own 10 – 12 week projects to bring about positive and sustainable change to health systems in Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, through existing King’s Health Partners health links in these countries. Project activities could include training of health workers, educating young people on sexual and reproductive health, and conducting research into the barriers to health care access.
The 20 places are open to any King’s student, and applicants from a diverse range of academic disciplines, as well as those who would not normally have the opportunity to take part in an international volunteering scheme, are encouraged to apply.
Mr Andy Leather, Director of the Global Health Offices at King’s, said: ‘We are very excited to be piloting this new development initiative together with THET. It is an excellent opportunity to widen participation in international volunteering, and will give King’s students from across social backgrounds the chance to make a targeted contribution to health systems in Africa, whilst learning how to help create positive change on a community level.’
More information on the THET-ICS pilot can be found at www.thet.org/ICS. The ICS programme also works with five other experienced overseas volunteering organisations. To find out more, visit www.dfid.gov.uk/ics or for general ICS enquiries, email Enquiry@ics-uk.org.uk.
Notes to editors
King's College London
King's College London is one of the top 25 universities in the world (2010 QS international world rankings), The Sunday Times 'University of the Year 2010/11' and the fourth oldest in England. A research-led university based in the heart of London, King's has nearly 23,000 students (of whom more than 8,600 are graduate students) from nearly 140 countries, and some 5,500 employees. King's is in the second phase of a £1 billion redevelopment programme which is transforming its estate.
King's has an outstanding reputation for providing world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise for British universities, 23 departments were ranked in the top quartile of British universities; over half of our academic staff work in departments that are in the top 10 per cent in the UK in their field and can thus be classed as world leading. The College is in the top seven UK universities for research earnings and has an overall annual income of nearly £450 million.
King's has a particularly distinguished reputation in the humanities, law, the sciences (including a wide range of health areas such as psychiatry, medicine, nursing and dentistry) and social sciences including international affairs. It has played a major role in many of the advances that have shaped modern life, such as the discovery of the structure of DNA and research that led to the development of radio, television, mobile phones and radar. It is the largest centre for the education of healthcare professionals in Europe; no university has more Medical Research Council Centres.
King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts are part of King's Health Partners. King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC) is a pioneering global collaboration between one of the world's leading research-led universities and three of London's most successful NHS Foundation Trusts, including leading teaching hospitals and comprehensive mental health services. For more information, visit:
www.kingshealthpartners.org
For further information please contact Emma Reynolds, Press Officer at King’s College London, on 0207 848 4334 or email emma.reynolds@kcl.ac.uk
* Photo courtesy of Madhuja Mitra at King's.