Community Update December 2010 Leeds University Union (LUU) Volunteering and Community Office
December 2010
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A Message from Paul Gold, Community Officer, LUU: Hello everyone, At the November Better Leeds Forum, Students submitted and debated a number of ideas that will now be enacted by LUU. In a step to build better community relations, students have asked LUU to promote a more positive approach to Woodhouse Woor and encourage students to love their local park, with the final aim of helping it achieve Green Flag status. An idea to promote Car Sharing as a means of more sustainable transport went to referendum and will be decided in January. And on behalf of all the students at Leeds University the following statement was agreed and submitted to the Vision for Leeds: 'What if Leeds embraced the positive aspects of its student population and worked alongside them to make Leeds better for all its residents?' Elsewhere, as part of the Leeds Student Bus Campaign, LUU has been working with the Fairer Fares for All Campaign to lobby First and Metro for a better bus service in Leeds, and have received widespread support and media coverage. We look forward to great successes in the New Year. Paul
So far this academic year… (From September 28th – December 10th)
Our ‘Raise and Give’ society, Leeds RAG, has raised a total of £10,448.63. o Next year will see teams of student volunteers climb Kilimanjaro, reach Everest base camp, help build schools in Africa and Thailand… to name but a few!
Action, a student-led volunteering group, has registered a total of 1090 hours of volunteering.
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o If all the volunteers were paid minimum wage, this would amount to a total of £5,364.03 worth of work!
We introduced our Community Skills Project, making it easier for community groups to find the student volunteers they need. The scheme has been a fantastic success so far and was recently featured on the BBC News Leeds website (http://bbc.in/fUofDC).
Our Better Leeds forums have passed a number of ideas to make Leeds a better place, including promoting a positive approach to Woodhouse Moor with a view to obtain Green Flag status and offering solidarity to local community groups, such as the Royal Park Community Consortium.
News and Updates Union Community Representatives (UCRs) Our UCRs continued to represent students at Resident Associations and Community Meetings across Leeds to represent students living in the community. They are currently working on a number of projects to help promote a positive engagement with the local community. Their work this month has included assisting with the Burley Lodge Winter Fayre, planning for the designing and production of a ‘Shop Local’ leaflet, in addition to helping Hyde Park achieve Green Flag status. To find out who your local UCR is, visit the website here http://www.leedsuniversityunion.org.uk/volunteeringandcommunity/ucr/
The Community Skills Project This month, the Community Skills Project has continued to link community groups and local charities with the volunteers they need. Some of the positions currently available to our students range from a website designer to helping young people achieve their potential. We welcome registration from any community group, no matter how big or small, and our service is completely free! If you are interested in registering your volunteering opportunities with the scheme, or wish to find out more, please contact Claire Henly on 0113 380 3125 or email her at c.henly@leeds.ac.uk
Leeds University Union With the house-hunting season approaching, LUU have been visiting Halls of Residence and holding talks on campus to advise our students about the potential pitfalls that they could face
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when they look to move during the summer which over 1000 students attended! Additionally, we have given tips on everything from respecting the local community, to how to take an active role where they live. In the New Year, we will be launching our new ‘Living in Leeds’ website to keep our students up to date with the latest news and developments in the community! For more information about how Leeds University Union is helping its students in the local community, please contact Antony on vandccomms@luu.leeds.ac.uk
Action Action is a student led volunteering organisation which aims to prove that students can make a positive contribution to their local communities. This month, the Action team has been working towards their ‘Outdoor Mix’ project, which strives to provide disadvantaged children from Leeds with life changing experience that their backgrounds would normally prevent them from attaining. To achieve this, they take children from impoverished areas in and around the city out on adventure weekends in the countryside to help them relax, grow and interact in a controlled environment. The team of student volunteers who supervise the children for the duration of the projects (Friday to Sunday evening) provide positive role models for the children, as well as themselves gaining valuable experience caring for the children. The upcoming ‘Mix’ has a Christmas theme and will combine outdoor adventures like caving and rock climbing with a Christmas craft sessions and end-of-weekend party! For more information about Action, visit http://www.leedsaction.co.uk/index.php
Leeds RAG (Raise and Give) This month saw a number of events take place, including RAG Factor 2010. Battling the bad weather, relentless work from the student-led team ensured the night was a fantastic success. The event raised over £300 which will be donated to the Leeds General Infirmary Neuro Intensive Care Unit. November also become Movember with of our students growing moustaches to raise money and awareness for prostate cancer. In total, over £2000 was raised and there was a special crowning of Mr. and Miss. Movember at a designated night in the Union. RAG’s naked calendar is also now on sale, which features a number of the RAG committee and other societies bearing all in the name of charity! Each calendar costs £3.50 with proceeds going towards the RAG Community Fund, which awards local charities pots of money at the end of the academic year. For more information on RAG’s activities and the latest news and events, visit http://www.leedsrag.org.uk/
If you have any questions or wish to find out more about these projects or other ways which our students are helping in the local community, please do not hesitate to contact Antony at vandccomms@luu.leeds.ac.uk
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