The benefits of student campaigns

Students have a precious commodity when it comes to making a difference: time and passion.

Charities have long recognised that tapping into young people's desire to change their world offers a way to reach new audiences and benefits from the energy, enthusiasm and sheer hard slog that students can bring. …

Some charities are actively supporting their student members with training courses, talks by high-profile experts and student officers dedicated to providing resources and advice. With prison overcrowding now a human rights issue high on the political agenda, the Howard League for Penal Reform has been working hard to recruit activists through law departments and the initiative seems to be working.

Second-year law student at UCL 19-year-old Jane Altschuler is now running her university's Howard League group after having volunteered throughout her first year. "Prison reform is always relevant and now it's really topical, with overcrowding and the chief inspector of prisons saying that she didn't expect to be having to inspect cells where people were still having to slop out," she explains.

"Last year, our student group did a citizenship and crime project, which involved planning and running conferences in primary and secondary schools. We led workshops for children in underprivileged areas about the criminal justice system and what it means to be a citizen. The kids find it really shocking: most of them have no idea that you can be sent to prison in this country from the age of 10." …

Louise Tickle, 'The Guardian'