In our last blog, we explored the wide-ranging impact of student volunteering across King’s. This time, we take a closer look at one standout project that illustrates what meaningful, measurable change can look like when passion, purpose, and planning come together.
The KCL Womxn in STEM Outreach Programme 2024–25 was designed to inspire and empower young students, particularly girls, in state schools across London through free STEM-focused workshops and presentations. Led by trained volunteers from King’s College London’s Womxn in STEM society, the programme targeted students in Years 8 to 12, delivering engaging sessions tailored to the needs of each school.
Between January and March 2025, the team conducted 11 sessions across 5 schools. Activities ranged from future-facing technology talks to hands-on workshops in Python programming, electronics, and renewable energy. Each session was interactive, practical, and designed to make STEM concepts both accessible and exciting.
A total of 29 volunteers from across King’s took part, each equipped with safeguarding training, DBS checks, and briefing sessions to ensure safe and effective classroom engagement.
Reaching Students Who Need it Most
The programme focused on reaching pupils from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM. In total, it engaged more than 240 students. Evaluation showed that 96% of participants reported a significant improvement in their understanding of STEM, and 100% said they would recommend the sessions to others.
For some students, this was the first time they saw themselves represented in a STEM environment and felt they had a place in it.
Inspiring Feedback
One teacher reflected:
“A highly engaging session — it is so well received I’m getting a lot of students asking if there will be more.”
This is more than positive feedback; it signals the lasting appetite for accessible, inspiring STEM education in schools.
Growth for Volunteers
The project also had a significant impact on the volunteers. Many developed new skills in public speaking, classroom delivery, and mentoring. Several described the experience as one of the most rewarding aspects of their time at King’s, crediting it with boosting their confidence and leadership abilities.
What Impact Looks Like in Practice
WiSTEM’s success demonstrates that impact is more than just a set of statistics. It is pupils leaving sessions with greater confidence in their abilities, volunteers discovering their potential to lead and inspire, and a ripple effect as enthusiasm for STEM spreads through schools and communities.
This is targeted, inclusive, outcomes-driven volunteering that achieves both breadth and depth of change.
A Model for Future Success
By combining a clear purpose, well-structured delivery, and meaningful engagement with participants, the WiSTEM Outreach Programme has set a high standard for student-led volunteering. It offers a model for other projects aiming to deliver lasting, measurable benefits to both their volunteers and the communities they serve.