Volunteering has shaped who I am today, as a student, but largely also as a person. It’s informed how I approach my future, how I connect socially and how I see my place in the world. We have a responsibility, as individuals and as institutions, to engage actively and locally with the challenges facing our world. As a student of international relations, I spend a lot of time focusing on big-picture issues and theories, so it’s refreshing and important to engage in hands-on work that makes a tangible difference.
Luisa Struck, International Relations BA student
19 June 2025
Students and staff celebrated for their commitment to volunteering
King’s College London brought together students, staff and community partners to celebrate the dedication of King’s volunteers and the organisations they support.
Through speeches, poetry and games, the celebration highlighted the significant impact that King’s volunteers have had on local and international communities. This year alone, students and staff have contributed more than 2,300 hours to support causes including mental health, climate security, addressing homelessness and expanding access to education.
Luisa Struck, an International Relations BA student, signed up to King’s Volunteering in her second year of study. The programme connected her with opportunities at Climate Ed, a charity that delivers climate change education, and FoodCycle, an organisation that tackles food waste and food poverty.
At Climate Ed, Luisa taught children about climate change in local primary schools, which deepened her commitment to environmental causes and led to further opportunities with Greenpeace and Climate Reality. She spoke at the celebration about how volunteering has helped her develop valuable skills for her future career and shaped her identity and worldview.
An international student, Luisa shared that volunteering also enabled her to connect with people across London and made her feel more at home in the city.
"I remember walking around central London and seeing a Greenpeace sticker from a campaign I had been involved in on a lamppost. It was such a small thing, but it was at that moment when I felt like I had really arrived in London, when I saw a trace of a group of which I was a part, around me. After this, I began to volunteer more often so that I could feel more of this sense of belonging in such an overwhelming city," she said.
Opening the celebration event, Professor ‘Funmi Olonisakin, Vice President (International, Engagement and Service) at King's, reflected on the importance of using the university’s expertise and strengths to benefit society.
At a time when the challenges faced by our communities are growing, the role of an engaged university could not be more important. We must be open, outward-facing institutions, ready to listen, to learn and to work in true partnership.
Professor ‘Funmi Olonisakin, Vice President (International, Engagement and Service)
King’s community partners played a central role throughout the evening, which featured a spoken word performance by Writerz & Scribez, a Black-led arts organisation collaborating with King’s to promote creative health and social inclusion. To mark Pride Month, the event concluded with a lively game of Drag Bingo hosted by OUTpatients, a charity that supports LGBTIQ+ people who are living with cancer.
King’s Volunteering connects staff and students with a range of causes, enabling them to make a real difference to communities and work on issues they care about. Those interested in giving back can explore a wide range of rewarding volunteering opportunities through the King’s Volunteering online platform.
In this story
Head of Volunteering (Maternity Cover)
Vice President (International, Engagement & Service)
Engagement Manager (King's Volunteering)