Winner of the Outstanding Student Award: Jonathan Ham
Jonathan carried out undergraduate research whilst volunteering for Voluntary Service Overseas. He was involved in projects working to improve governance and promoting active citizenship amongst children in local neighbourhoods in Ikorodu, Nigeria. This involved setting up 38 spaces for children in local neighbourhoods with the aim of promoting active citizenship, participation, and social inclusion. He was part of teams organising:
- community action days to raise awareness about volunteering and world youth day
- a children’s rights conference which empowered and educated over 450 children about their rights, and
- an anti-drugs music festival for around 1500 people.
Through these initiatives the team also saw over 340 children attending the 38 new local spaces. As part of his undergraduate dissertation, Jonathan also conducted research for Voluntary Service Overseas into how to enhance young people’s participation in society and governance structures and the ability of grassroots projects to do this.
Runner up of the Outstanding Student Award: Nele van der Wielen
Nele’s research is focused on improving access to free health care amongst Ghana’s ageing population. The Ghanaian National Health Insurance Scheme provides free health care to older adults, but many don’t enrol in the scheme. Working with the NGO ‘Human Help and Development Group’ and the National Health Authority in Tamale, Nele’s research investigated the barriers to enrolment and potential solutions to address them. A particular challenge for older people was the distance required to travel to district offices to apply for the Insurance card. Nele and the other stakeholders persuaded the National Health Authority to provide free travel and allow older adults to register for the scheme at their local community, rather than at district level. Since then over 400 adults have registered for free health care. The National Health Authority is extending these changes to other communities, ensuring that excluded and vulnerable people enjoy a life free from unnecessary illness.
Special commendation in the Outstanding Student category:
The Sustainability Action group also wanted to give a special commendation to Amy Robjohns, noting her dedication in giving her time to birding and bird ringing over the last three years.