Camden Citizens' Advice Bureau wins double award from UCL

Links:

uclunion.org/volunteers" target="_self">UCL Volunteering Service Unit
Camden Citizens' Advice Bureau

The work of Camden Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) and its volunteers has been recognised in two award schemes run by UCL.

Camden CAB won the 'UCL Volunteering Organisation of The Year' for its excellence in volunteer management. The award is open to all organisations working with UCL student volunteers.

June Chapman, Volunteer Development Manager at Camden CAB, said: "Receiving an award from a world-class institution like UCL is a great accolade. It is a testimony to the achievements of our wonderful volunteers who give their time so generously to serve of our clients. All the UCL student volunteers who have served with Camden CAB have been incredibly conscientious, creative, adaptable and fast-learning volunteers."

One of those students - Portia Harris -  also won an Abbey 1-UCL Award, which was created to recognise outstanding extra-curricular achievements by UCL students.

Portia, a law student, said: "Volunteering at the CAB has been my first experience of volunteering and it has thus far been an inspiring one to say the least. I have met some incredibly interesting and diverse people from all walks of life and have developed a real sense of worth in what I am doing. To volunteer is such an enriching experience not only for one's self but for society at large and it is definitely something I will now endeavour to do throughout my career."

Camden CAB works closely with the Volunteering Service Unit (VSU), a joint project of UCL and UCL's student union.

John Braime, manager of the VSU, said: "We are very proud to work with such a vital community service as Camden CAB. There were a large number of great organisations nominated for this award, but Camden CAB really stood out as somewhere that supports and encourages its volunteers, thereby helping them to achieve their best - Portia Harris being just one example. Well done to the Citizens' Advice Bureau, and well done Portia."

Images: right, June Chapman and Portia Harris; bottom left, the Camden CAB team.

UCL context

Camden CAB service offers free, confidential, impartial and independent advice to the public on a wide range of areas including welfare benefits, money advice, housing, employment, immigration, consumer & family and personal issues. The VSU exists to help UCL students and staff get involved in community volunteering. For more information about Camden CAB and the VSU follow the links above.

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