Impact of working together on sustainability

When Liubov Sidorova first started the AUT Edge Award she was confused about volunteering in New Zealand and didn’t believe that one person from overseas would make any difference to anything.

But once she started volunteering for Boomerang Bags, a community project to encourage people to use recycle bags, she became inspired. As well as bag making, Liubov also helped with fundraising, social media and other communications around the cause, including a video and interviews.

She says it really emphasized to her how people standing up for an idea and acting together successfully can make a big impact and opened her eyes to what is possible when individuals join together.

Liubov also became involved in the Get Into Nature programme, learning about sustainability, plastic and pollution through Sustainable Coastlines Hub. She joined the Community Waitakere Charitable Trust Leading in Communities programme and helped out with Keep NZ Beautiful at the Green Living Show where volunteers educated visitors about the proper disposal of waste.
All these voluntary activities involved sustainability, social impact and Liubov got out into the community and put her heart and mind into making a difference to the environment.

“I realised how people standing up for an idea and acting together successfully can make a big impact,” says Liubov.

Liubov was one of 50 students to graduate with the AUT Edge Award in Semester 1, taking the total number of graduates to 204. Over 2400 students are enrolled in the Award. So far they have provided 39,000 hours of volunteering and just under 18,000 leadership hours to their communities

Sponsor of the AUT Edge Award Social Impact Prize is Auckland Council. Graduate programme leader of Recruitment and Talent for Auckland Council, Lacey Knight, says AUT Edge Award is a stellar achievement that Council graduate recruiters look out for on graduate CVs, “Auckland Council is about community and supporting the people of Auckland. We also believe in the importance of developing the ‘C’ skills, especially when considering the future of work. It isn’t grades but you and what you can bring to an organisation that matters.”

As well as, four other industry partners sponsored prizes for the award;  YUDU, SEEK Volunteer, Intercontinental Hotel Group and Chartered Accountants Australia & NZ (CAANZ).

The other prize winners were Priscilla Schwalger for Volunteering, Hilary Esterhuizen for Leadership, Yves Guo for Personal Growth and Jackie Chan for Overall Achievement.

Industry sponsorship of prizes demonstrate the significance to employers of the skills fostered by the AUT Edge Award, says AUT Deputy Vice Chancellor Geoff Perry.
“You will have become better employees, family members, friends and better members of society through this award,” says Geoff, listing skills such as thoughtful and critical thinking, cultural intelligence through working with people from different backgrounds and ability to lead.”

The AUT Edge Award delivers graduates with work ready CVs and relevant LinkedIn profiles. They are capable networkers and confident about who they are, says Director of Student Employability, Anna Williams.

“Our employers continue to tell us that they are looking for great communication skills, evidence of volunteering, of leadership….. students who are engaged well outside their classroom learning.  We feel that the AUT Edge AWARD encompasses all of these skills and know that the students here tonight will have that extra edge in their approach to their future careers when they leave here.”
Anna says the Award is proving to be so successful that this semester Employability and Careers has launched a second award – the Beyond AUT Award for postgraduate students.
For more information about the AUT Edge Award or the Beyond AUT Award please contact AUTEdge@aut.ac.nz

PHOTO CAPTION: (L-R)  AUT Edge Award prize winners - Priscilla Schwalger for Volunteering,  Jackie Chan for Overall Achievement, Liubov Sidorova for Social Impact, Hilary Esterhuizen for Leadership and Yves Guo for Personal Growth.