September 12, 2023, by Leah Sharpe

Where to Find Volunteer Opportunities While at University

By Grace Smyth, student blogger

Volunteering is a great way to give back to the community while developing vital transferrable skills that will help you in the future and set you apart from other applicants when applying for jobs.

During my time at university, volunteering has been something that has been very important to me and my university experience. There are so many great opportunities to get involved with both on campus and around Nottingham.

Here are a few ideas to help with your search for the perfect volunteer opportunity for you:

The Students’ Union

The SU website has a dedicated webpage specifically for you to search for volunteering opportunities in and around Nottingham. My own experience with Safe Families for Children was found through the SU website. Wherever your interests lie, whether it be animals, sport, teaching, or the environment, for example, the SU has connections with organisations across Nottingham so you can find something that suits you.

Societies

The university has many societies that are geared towards volunteering in the community. You could look for opportunities with larger organisations like Amnesty, British Red Cross, Cancer Research, and STAR, or focus on smaller, local groups like Nightline, PhabSoc, and the Rucksack Project.

University specific opportunities

There are multiple different ways you can help the community depending on how much time you are able to commit. The University offers both one-off volunteering opportunities as well as long-term commitments. For instance, the sustainability team at the university has multiple projects happening throughout the year that you can get involved with to try something new and add to your CV.

MyCareer

MyCareer is a great place to find volunteer opportunities in the local area and further afield in the UK. New vacancies are added weekly, so it’s worth regularly checking back to see what’s come up.

My experience with Safe Families for Children

In my first year at university I signed up to be a volunteer for the organisation, Safe Families for Children. I chose to be a ‘Family Friend’ due to how I wanted to help provide support for vulnerable families in the area to prevent the intervention of government social services, when the solution can often be having access to a community network. My experience allowed me to meet so many incredible people in the area and learn new skills in safeguarding, communication, as well as gaining experience working with children.

The range of flexible opportunities available to students at Nottingham means you don’t need to comprise your academic performance while learning new valuable skills. Giving back to the community we live in is something that you will never regret, so get looking for a volunteer placement that suits you!

Explore volunteering options and other ways to find vacancies.

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