High ambitions: Steve Preston, new RAG chair, has big plans for the student committee this year.

Steve Preston has been on the RAG beat for some months now. But he remains as passionate about his duties as he was when elected chair of the organisation.

As the main fundraising arm for the Students' Health and Welfare Organisation (SHAWCO), the RAG team has looked at increasing their target. This year they hope to raise R1.3-million, well beyond previous tallies.

"Another plan is to make RAG as professional as possible while maintaining the fun we have," said Preston.

Although their year officially began on September 1, they are already working out their objectives and goals for their term.

"At RAG we also really want to improve our position at UCT. We want to build relationships with students, societies, departments and also the SRC," he confirmed.

With a team of 1 200 student volunteers, SHAWCO focuses on community development in the Cape metropolis, targeting health and education. On the health side, they visit disadvantaged communities in mobile clinics. On the education front, they have a number of centres where they run education projects with the youth.

Preston has a simple way of managing his team: he sets targets and boundaries. He will guide them, without stifling their potential.

"Personally, what drives me is the people I work with. We all work as a team and that's what makes everything so much more fun.

"We have built great relationships and we have all become like a family."