Trophy Winners

S2S Legacy Award

Abigail Coyne

This is not an ordinary award, but this is not an ordinary individual either. Abigail came to S2S not as a volunteer, but as an intern. And she came with ideas. She taught staff in the service how to make ourselvesd more visible, and how that would help volunteers to come forward. She changed the space from one that people used to tolerate to one staff and studnets enjoy being in. She taught me the value of a good lamp, and why not to keep our light under bushels.

Abigail then went on to work in the Studnet Counselling Services before going back into a Masters as a student. And then she took the incredibly brave step, having worked with us every day, of coming back in as a volunteer. And she did it so humbly. With no bragging of insider knowledge. No precedence over her fellow volunteers, no demands for special consideration. She pulled herself through training despite being sick, and she dedicated herself to her role, and to supporting her fellow volunteers in the process. But she didn't stop there. She volutneered with the disability service to co-facilitate the autism peer support group and she came back again to support S2S in designing a model to train and supervise students and staff to co-facilitate groups.

I can honestly say that in every interaction, Abigail has brought huge generosity of insight, as well as phenomenal compassion and empathy for everyone she works with. She has contributed to so many meaningful and lasting changes in the service, that we had no choice bu to crate the S2S Legacy award to honor her contributions. 

Spirit of S2S

Sarah Fleming

When we talk about the spirit of S2S, this is a volunteer that encourages connection and community beyond their role. Who just by being them they invite others in and make sure those around them feel welcome. When this volunteer was nominated there were no questions why they should win this award. They have been a Mentor, Head Mentor, Mentor Trainer and now Peer Supporter.

They are always willing to help out at events, step up when a training needs to be covered but what stood out to me is recently this volunteer was taking part in the train the trainers training and when their fellow trainer was unsure about a part they were presenting, they offered to help explain the task in a way that was encouraging and supportive, sharing how they approached it previously. It became a discussion rather than a moment of nervousness.

I hope they are considering a postgraduate just so we can have them back with us for another year! 

Volunteer of the Year

David Curran

This volunteer knew coming into the year that he wanted to leave it an award winner. He has very genuinely become the face of S2S this year. From his Peer SUpport interview we knew we had someone special, becaus ehe understood the role in a way few people do, even after training. And he was so generous with his own thoughts an dlearning int he training space.

He was one of the first 2 volunteers to conduct an A&E accomaniment with a distressed student this year, and thne he just kept volunteering. Open days. Presentations. Information stands. Thereputic group activities in SCS. And he's present after the event as well, on LinkedIN, with generous tagging and prompting to help everyone support the work he's undertaking.

He has taught us so much about how we can do more every day to support and encourage volunteer engagement, and he supports and encourages his peers as though it were second nature to him.

Peer Supporter of the Year

Joanna Jarmolowicz

This Peer Supporter joined us in 2023 and has been a joy to get to work with and see them grow in the Peer Support role. They have taken the responsibility seriously, sending on case details without prompt, attending their monthly supervision, debriefing after each meet-up and using the time to really reflect on the case. They make sure to keep in contact with the team and it is always a welcome presence when they drop in to say hello! They approach their casework with compassion and thoughtfulness. I have personally got to work with them and always look forward to our debriefs when they pop up in my calendar. 

Head Mentors of the Year

Niharika Anand and Rachel Ranjith (pictured: Niharika)

S2S Head Mentors are core volunteers that lead and inspire our Mentor cohorts. They look out for Mentors, answer queries, and guide them in their roles. Our two Head Mentors of the year have done just that, with immense passion throughout the year for our Computer Science, Engineering and MIDFY. These Head Mentors are open to helping and doing more, we are delighted that we can take the time today to give back them today in acknowledging them as Head Mentors of the Year. 

Mentors of the Year

Jia Lu Xu and Ava Sheridan

With a cohort of over 800 Mentors, Mentor of the year is no small feat. We selected these two Mentors for their fantastic communication with staff, their organisation, and flexibility. As Nursing Mentors, they have been in demand, with over 30 mentees in their group. They met these demands with a smile, welcoming each and every mentee. Their group held regular meet-ups, placement top tip discussions, and informative regular emails throughout both terms. Their actions have been acknowledged by mentees, their Head Mentors, and staff. 

We were particularly taken when one of these Mentors asked us to sign off on their hours for the Contribution to Society module, and had written the most incredible, heartfelt statement of learning outcomes. When a fellow Mentor reached out in difficulty with their buddy, we naturally thought of this group, and their response was incredible. They embraced the new mentees, they embraced the new mentor, and the did it with such generosity of spirit and enthusiasm. They made it sound like we were doing them a favour.