Row of students talking

Volunteering

Volunteer to make a difference, meet friends and boost your CV

Three University of West London student volunteers
Volunteering has the power to impact your community, boost your sense of wellbeing and launch your career.

In a study of current and recent volunteers:

58% credited volunteering with improving their job prospects, 38% had improved confidence, 39% had improved communication skills*.

Ready to start your volunteering journey?

  • Contact the VTeam to find out more at TheVTeam@uwl.ac.uk
  • Go to the Student Hub to book a one-to-one appointment and to see what opportunities are available.

*Social Mobility: Unleashing the Power of Volunteering 2021, Royal Voluntary Service.

Search opportunities

Introduction

What is volunteering?

Volunteering is doing something unpaid for the benefit of others and is also a way to gain key skills, build knowledge and network with local organisations.

University of West London student volunteers doing a gardening project

What are the benefits of volunteering?

  • Develop your skills

  • Gain career-relevant experience

  • Boost your confidence and wellbeing

  • Have a positive impact on communities

University of West London student volunteers working on a poster for a Halloween event

What volunteering can I get involved in?

We work with a range of organisations that are looking for support, both in London and remotely. These roles can be helping young people, families and older adults, environmental initiatives, campaigning, tech or event support, and more local projects. Volunteering covers a range of sectors relevant to different degree programmes and there are also great opportunities for leadership development.

You can volunteer in a way that works for you:

  • One off or half day opportunities and trips with the VTeam

    Spend an afternoon outside maintaining green spaces or support your local donation centre by sorting out items. The VTeam promotes these opportunities on Student Hub and social media, you simply need to sign up and meet us at the right time and place.

  • External volunteering with community organisations 

    Apply for an ongoing role directly on an organisation's website, or via the Student Hub. If the organisation is a registered charity, not-for-profit or social enterprise, your help is considered volunteering. A lot of organisations will offer flexible roles, so you can discuss your availability and desired commitment with them.

  • Micro-volunteering on campus

    Short-term, low-commitment opportunities. We host plenty of stalls or speakers on-campus, allowing you to engage with topics or organisations in short bursts. Micro-volunteering could also look like signing a petition, sharing a campaign on social media and donating clothes or food.

  • Leadership Programme

    A seven-week programme running twice annually in October and February, allowing you to participate in interactive workshops, hear from influential community leaders and network with local charities and other student leaders. You'll increase your confidence and motivation, learn new skills and techniques to fulfill your leadership potential and enhance your career prospects. All while doing something positive.

  • Social hackathons

    Social hackathons are events on campus where you problem solve and identify solutions to real world challenges for community organisations. A charity or social enterprise comes onto campus to outline a problem faced by their organisation and student volunteers work in groups to create innovative ideas within a two-hour time frame. 

    Examples of previous social hackathons include brainstorming ideas for a new sustainability campaign and developing a fundraising strategy to help raise funds to support charity outreach. 

    By taking part student volunteers build key skills, gain valuable awareness about the third sector and earn a certificate for their CV. It also allows community organisations to take away some exciting ideas to help develop their business and service area. 

    Visit the Student Hub to find out when the next social hackathon is taking place.

  • Peer Mentoring Service

    UWL students with at least one year of study can volunteer as Peer Mentors. As a Peer Mentor, you can use flexible time frames to assist other students, contribute to the UWL community and improve your communication skills and confidence.

  • Clubs and societies

    Our student-led groups bring people together through common interests, creating a community that offers opportunities to connect with new people and develop new skills.

    To find out more about societies and how to get involved, please visit the UWLSU website.

  • Course representatives and course committees

    Course Reps represent students at Course Committees in which they work together with members of staff to solve academic issues. Course Reps gather the views and opinions of their peers and communicate that feedback to lecturers and the University of West London staff.

Green Careers Week - volunteering activities

Quotes from volunteers

I wanted to contribute to volunteering in the community and the time, opportunities and incentives that the university has given, has allowed me to undertake some work. It has opened my eyes and has allowed me to be more empathetic towards others during a hard time in history. I would recommend given the opportunity that volunteering opportunities be taken."

- Cara, 2022 

How to get started

Once you've decided that you want to become a volunteer, you can head to Student Hub to see what opportunities are currently available, go direct to an organisations website to sign up directly or book a one-to-one appointment with the VTeam to discuss your options and get support. 

The Volunteering Team also sends out newsletters about one-off volunteering, fairs and more. To enquire about the volunteering newsletter, please contact the team at thevteam@uwl.ac.uk.

University of West London student volunteers doing a gardening project

Explore opportunities on Student Hub

Check out opportunities provided by external organisations and VTeam one-off opportunities in Student Hub. You can access these by clicking on the VTeam opportunities through the careers section and by checking events. You can even filter opportunities by volunteering role or industry sector if you know what you’re most interested in.

University of West London student volunteers speaking with a charity

Go direct to the organisation

Most not-for-profits and charities will have a volunteer section on their website for you to explore current opportunities. Some organisations even encourage you to get in touch if you feel you can offer a particular skill that isn’t listed in an existing role.

You can also look online for volunteering opportunities. Some websites have fantastic databases that can make it easier to find external volunteering. Do-It, Team London Volunteering, Reach Volunteering and We Make Change are some good ones.

Book a one-to-one appointment with the VTeam

Book a one-to-one appointment with one of our team members through the Student Hub or email us at TheVTeam@uwl.ac.uk. At a time and place that works for you, a member of the VTeam can explain your volunteering options.

In order to give you the best support, we might ask you:

  • What are your interests?
  • What skills do you hope to gain? or What skills might you want to offer?
  • What is your availability for volunteering?

With this information, we can direct you to some of the most suitable opportunities available.

If there is a specific organisation you would like to volunteer for, but they are not on Student Hub, let us know! We can help you make contact.

Leadership programme

Could you be part of the UWL Leadership Programme? 

Build confidence, learn about leadership and boost skills for employability. 

4 students walking outside UWL

What is the Leadership Programme?

The Leadership Programme is a seven-week extracurricular scheme that you can take part in alongside your course at UWL. It is designed to support you during and after your studies and places a focus on self-awareness, everyday leadership and supporting positive community change.

Four women working together from different ethnic backgrounds.

How the Leadership Programme works

During the course you will work through a series of interactive workshops and online resources to help you build knowledge, personal skills and confidence, and how to apply this to enhance your future career. There is an opportunity to hear from experienced community practitioners and unpack the true meaning of leadership with your peers. All students who complete the programme will receive a certificate awarded by the University.

The scheme runs twice during the academic year, from October - December and February - April, with workshops taking place on Tuesday evenings from 6pm - 7:30pm. Please ensure that you are able to attend the sessions before you sign up.

A group of 4 students talking and drinking coffee

How to apply

Applications are closed for this semester, and set to reopen in Janurary/February 2025. To keep up to date, feel free to join our newsletter.

Students with a disability or long-term health condition, and those who identify as Black or Asian, are particularly encouraged to apply for the programme.

If you have any questions about the Leadership Programme, please contact the Volunteering Team at thevteam@uwl.ac.uk or book a 1-2-1 appointment with us through the Student Hub.

Join our newsletter

Find out more