The London Union Society®
In a society riddled with funding cuts on student and youth services, which subsequently have ceased, the London Union Society is an independent collective created by students for students. The Union empowers students and academics by allowing them to be social agents through expressing their views, and aiding contributions to the wider developmental reconstruction of society. Additionally, the Union understands the social, cultural and economic differences between students, promoting respect, solidarity, inclusion and equality. This is achieved through workshops, debates, podcasts, newsletters and more. The London Union Collective is an nonpartisan organisation formed by innovative graduates and professionals who are determined in leaving a legacy as a hybrid Debating and Educational Technology platform; by creating a better future for students who would like to fulfil their hunger for knowledge within professional and academic development. Our aim is target academically driven students and scholars from the University of London collegiate colleges, irrespective of age, chosen degree or previous work experiences. We understand the importance of gaining competence across a broad spectrum of cultures, industries and schools of thought. The Union’s core foundations are established by the self-determination theory. Firstly, the Union encourages its members to be competent, by gathering knowledge from their academic and professional background, utilising those experiences to develop a justified opinion. Furthermore, the members develop autonomy as fostering competence within a sector leading to a researched opinion backed by evidence-based learning. Autonomy of thought allows academics to progress into relatedness, through usage of such skills to learn and communicate research, findings, and solutions with other members. Finally, the combination competence, autonomy and relatedness grant the members to seek purpose and pursue a greater altruistic meaning in their chosen sectors. The London Union focuses on five core sectors for members to develop competence in: ·
- STEM + Social Sciences: Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Psycho-Social Development.
- Humanities: History, Geography, Archaeology, Architecture, Global-Cultural Studies, Environment, Politics, Law, Philosophy, Ethics, Theology, Languages, Literature and Travel.
- Arts: Art, Design, Drama, Dance, Culinary, Film, Theatre, Literary, Fashion, Television, Radio, Music and Media.
- Wellness: Spirituality, Nutrition, Sports, Mindfulness, Physical and Mental Health·
- Enterprise: Business, Employability, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Finance and Management
Since there is a lack of a platform for London-based students to demonstrate collective social agency, the London Union facilitates exposure of domestic and international affairs through debates, keynote speakers and panels, including engagement with influential personalities globally. Additionally, the Union offers its members academic and professional development workshops both in-house based in London and virtually. These educational workshops aid the members with their studies and prepares them to be professionally prepared for the workplace. The London Union’s inclusive leadership scheme is designed for members to be proactive and embrace their pursuit for knowledge, communications and networking. The London Union aims to engage with students and academics who pursue to install change in their own communities either domestically or globally. By providing our members with a unique package of engaging, educating and evolving with other like-minded individuals, we hope to allow them to build a network that they can utilise during and post their studies. Acting as a consultative platform, members will be able to engage with the Union’s termly agenda, suggesting influencers and celebrities they would like to hear from, giving in their questions and educating one another on social, political and economic injustices. By bringing together leading experts from our core five sectors, we aim to collaborate the schools of thoughts and raise awareness on current affairs, ultimately providing sustainable solutions through our insights and policy reports.