A PHOTOGRAPH taken by a volunteer from York has gone on display in Westminster.

Ieva Vysniauskaite, who lives in York, was one of more than 300 photographers from 22 countries who took part in the International Citizen Service photography competition.

Ieva volunteered in Nigeria for three months last year, running youth clubs for local children and working with the Nigerian Farmers Development Union, and submitted the photo for the competition, which is now on display in Westminster's central hall.

She said: "I took this picture of my host brother Femi and his friends working together at a youth group we were running in Ilesa. We created inclusive spaces for children and youth people where issues facing community could be discussed, and possible solutions provided.

"The children and youth people also developed their leadership, communication and problem-solving skills. In this picture, Femi and his friends are drawing their community and the problems that, in their opinion, their community is facing."

Ieva said the time she spent in Nigeria working with "the most diverse and inspiring group of people had changed her.

She said: "I returned to the UK with a new version of myself. Working with people from Kenya and Nigeria, which was rather challenging at first, taught me so much about teamwork, sensibility to others’ needs and appreciation of others’ experience. We were a powerful team – the mixture of backgrounds and skillsets made anything possible."

Ieva’s image will be on display at Westminster Central Hall, London, until Saturday, January 3, and members of the public can visit the exhibition for free. The exhibition will then go on a national tour around the UK.

To find out more about ICS and see all the winners and runners up of the photography competition visit volunteerics.org