Every month, we will be highlighting the great work of some of our volunteers via our Volunteer Spotlight!
This month, we spoke to Matthew Babb about the great work he is doing volunteering at LMSU.

What's your name?
Matthew Babb (He/Him)

What do you study?

BSc Biochemistry Level 6 (year 3)

What do you volunteer in?
I am the Captain of Team London Met Archery and am a member of the Student Counil this year.  Previously, I have been the President of the Life Sciences society, Secretary of the Chess society, Archery Captain, Student Representative and Committee Hub Member.

Tell us more about your volunteer positions and what it means to you?

I started my first role volunteering in the Union in 2017. At that time, there was a lack of engagement in the societies I was interested in, and I was encouraged to take on the responsibility of running the Life Sciences Society as its President. The society needed to be relaunched and I chose to take on this responsibility as it presented me with an opportunity for personal development in both skills and knowledge of my current field of study. After a year in the role, I was able to increase our membership from 5 to 50 members and since then, I have been able gain skills in public speaking, networking, event planning and even financial budgeting. I was also able to sharpen my skills in time management and communication, and that is just to name a few! Taking the initiative to do this was rewarding enough to persuade me to take on more roles, and they have only improved my character and allowed me to be a more well-rounded and involved student at university. Having these achievements has not only made me more confident in myself, but also in my future when I am ready to apply for a professional role, and I will always be appreciative of LMSU for giving me a platform to volunteer and grow as a person.

The support available at the Union is also very robust as it enabled me to be a leader, I felt that If I ever needed any support in understanding my role or developing my skills it was made available for me. A great example of this is when I wanted to pursue a new sporting initiative to introduce Archery into our sporting provisions. The Union supported me in becoming a licensed instructor capable of introducing beginners to the sport. To do this though, I needed to provide a proposal as to how this could benefit students and the union, and this was great practice and experience for any future proposal which requires writing and formatting knowledge.

Lastly, being a volunteer gave me a sense of belonging. This feeling was very important for me as an international student who knew nothing about what it meant to be a university student in London. I was welcomed into a network of volunteers and these individuals quickly became friends and support systems through my time as a volunteer. Most of my current and closest friends I have met through our Students’ Union, and I don’t know how I would have managed otherwise without them.

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.