Every month, we will be highlighting the great work of some of our volunteers.
This month's, we talked to Timo Holtappels about the great work he is doing volunteering at LMSU.

What's your name?
Timo Holtappels (He/Him)

What do you study?
BA (Hons) Business Management Level 6 (Year 3)

What do you volunteer in?
Student Rep, President MUN Society, President Debating Society, Secretary LGBTQ+ Society, Deputy-Chair Student Council (2020-2021)

Tell us more about your volunteer positions and what it means to you?
I volunteer as I foremostly want to be there for my fellow peers and assist in shaping the University Culture in this ever-changing world and society. I am further inspired by the staff and students alike who want to make a positive and long-lasting effective change to being more inclusive, aware of students’ issues and emotional and mental health. 

I enjoy my diverse roles as it not only gives me the chance and opportunity to meet different people and do different tasks, I enjoy mostly that I can apply my strength and develop in my areas of weaknesses alike, while seeing change happen mostly immediately. As Student Rep, I am working together with others (fellow Course Level Student Reps, Module Leaders, the Course Leader, and the School Rep Assistant) on student enquiries and solving/signposting their issues and escalating Module and Course based issues to the relevant staff and together fix these for our all benefit. 

As a Student Rep and Member of the Student Council, last year I was able and dedicated to representing my peers views on SU and University related topics in the Student Council assures that questions will be considered, which may have been overseen, thus enabling everyone involved to make the best possible decisions, but further holding the SU Executive Officers Teams accountable to and for their actions – the key for me was to strive to give constructive feedback, concerns and insights. As Deputy-Chair I have been making sure that all opinions by Student Council members to and in the subject discussed and raised be heard in a respectful and constructive and uninterrupted manner by all members and the SU Executive Officers. 

As President of two Societies, I am enabling to create safe and inclusive spaces of interests to students, while striving to deliver interesting, divers and informative and equally fun meetings and sessions. The creativity and administrative tasks my roles bring along, gives me the opportunity to develop my skillset in here, especially as I would like to use those skills professionally after obtaining my degree. I further enjoy debating and exchanging views and opinions with my fellow Student Group Leader colleagues, to give our members the best possible experience.

As a Volunteer at LMSU I am able and so are you, to define our study and university culture, be involved in decisions and able to change what is outdated and not working. In addition to all these, being a volunteer is skill-developing and fun.


Want to find our more about volunteering?
London Metropolitan Students’ Union (LMSU) exists to empower students to make the most of their time at London Met and transform their lives for the better. Volunteers are a crucial part of making that happen, and we are committed to providing high quality, well-supported volunteering opportunities that are accessible to all sections of our diverse student body. 

Head to our webpage here to find out more about volunteering at LMSU and what positions we have avalaible.