What inspired you to take on this role?
After having taken up yoga and belly dance for the first time in second year, I was keen to help out in any way I could to help promote both activities. I found practising yoga and belly dance to be the highlight of my working week, and so with the enticement of subsidised food at the AGMs, I ended up with three committee positions this year: president of IC Yoga Club, and class coordinator/publicity officer of IC Belly Dancing Society.
What is your favourite thing about your role?
I definitely believe in the benefits of regular yoga practise, so it's nice to see people trying yoga and enjoying it like I did, and (fingers crossed!) wanting to volunteer as a committee member for next year.
Has it met your expectations?
I was quite daunted by the idea of being personally responsible for the success of the clubs I help run, and I wasn't quite sure what to expect in terms support from the Union. However, I managed to pick a lot of things up as I went along, and materials such as the training quizzes and eActivities proved very helpful.
Why would you encourage other Imperial students to volunteer?
Don't be fooled- volunteer work requires a lot of commitment and planning ahead. Whilst I have had my fair share of struggles, I'd still recommend volunteering at Imperial as it gives you the chance to meet loads of new people from all over, as well as being excellent CV fodder.
What have been the benefits?
Aside from enjoying the perk of free yoga classes, being president of IC Yoga Club has allowed me to develop skills that I know will come in very handy for whatever I decide to do after my degree. I also received the Imperial Plus Volunteer Certificate for logging 75 hours of volunteering.
What has been a highlight of your experience?
This year I've had the opportunity to change things up, and open up the club to a wider range of staff and students at Imperial, so things like introducing a regular Pilates class for the first time and offering free meditation sessions have been a real highlight for me.
