Our Volunteering and Representation team works alongside our outstanding student volunteers. They support the creation of new roles, plan training, provide support for all volunteers, and ensure volunteers feel looked after and can perform in their roles.
The team are also tasked with supporting and empowering our Student Representatives, who are key to ensuring that the student voice is heard at all levels of University governance, and are crucial to our strategic objectives. They work hard to create a volunteer community that is welcoming, open and supportive of each other.
The Volunteering team is also responsible for supporting volunteer managers across the Students Association with recruitment training, and the continuous support of volunteers who are looked after by other teams.
Volunteers are at the heart of this organisation, and we wouldn’t be able to achieve our goals without student volunteers who dedicate their precious time to the Students Association. Below are some of the reasons why volunteering is important at the Students Association:
- Allows for the student voice to be heard.
- Builds the student community.
- Provides opportunities for students to gain new skills.
- Makes a difference in the education journey of students.
- Helps students discover how the University operates.
- Enhances a feeling of wellbeing.
We have 304 total volunteer roles and 214 active volunteers (students may volunteer for more than one role). Our student volunteers are from different backgrounds and possess a range of skills and experiences, and importantly are passionate about different interests and hobbies.
Below are some of the achievements which volunteers have been able to make:
- Student Charter with the University.
- Several students in secure environments have been able to complete their studies because of Library Study Volunteers.
- Building community.
- Gaining student voice across various University committees.
- Supporting students at graduation ceremonies.
The Volunteering and Representation team are always seeking new students to get involved with volunteering at the Students Association. This is why we applied (for the second time running) for our Investing in Volunteers accreditation, and are very proud that this accreditation has recently been renewed.
Investing in Volunteers is the UK quality standard for good practice in volunteer management. It is a six-step process to gain and then keep this award. It is a testament to our commitment to building on (and reviewing) the strong foundation we have created for supporting our volunteers.
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