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Volunteering FAQ's

Who can volunteer?

Anyone!

Whilst having skills or experience is useful, the key thing is to have an interest and enthusiasm for becoming involved in your community! Organisations generally understand the needs of volunteers and nowadays, they are very good at providing opportunities that are worthwhile and rewarding.

If you have a disability, speak to the organisation - most will be able to make necessary adaptations or offer other relevant opportunities. 

Can I choose what I want to do?

There are a variety of opportunities open all year round but if there is something specific that you wan to do, come and talk to us and we will do our best to source something out for you. Most organisations are flexible and can offer a wide-variety of roles, so do not be shy to ask!

Will I need to go for an interview?

Most organisations will want to meet a volunteer before asking them to start work but this will usually be for an informal chat rather than a formal interview. Some might ask for references from you but this will be explained before you start. If you are volunteering as part of a group, it is more likely that the organisation will arrange matters with the group leader only.

What will I gain from being a volunteer?

Firstly, a sense of achievement, seeing something happen in the community because of you. There are hundreds of organisations across the community that depend on volunteers to make their activity possible. Secondly, it is a great way to meet people and make new friends. Thirdly, you can use the skills you already possess or learn new ones. Sometimes it’s also a great way to do something that complements your studies but it can also be a way to do something totally different to your normal day to day routine.

How much time is required?

This will vary with the role you take on but organisations are aware that due to your academic timetable they will need to be flexible. You can find one-off opportunities or opportunities that require a longer-term committment but however much time you decide to volunteer, you can be sure that it will be greatly appreciated!

Will volunteering help me get a job?

Many companies recognise the value of work experience and skills gained in a volunteer role and such activities will help you to energise your C.V and stand-out from other candidates who might only have academic qualifications. In some areas of work, a record of volunteering is often a very useful step towards paid employment - Conservation work, arts, entertainment, outdoor pursuits and work for charitable organisations are good examples of when this is often true!.

Will I be paid expenses for my volunteering?

If you are giving your time and expertise free, you should not have to make a financial commitment. We encourage organisations to cover their volunteers’ out of pocket expenses such as travel. The organisation should also provide tools, protective clothing and the like if needed. Remember to double-check this with your organisation before you commence volunteering for them, just in case.

Do I need to have police or criminal records checks?

If volunteers are going to work with children or vulnerable adults the organisation might ask you to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) application. The information you give will be treated as confidential. Even if you have a criminal record it might not necessarily prevent you being a volunteer. Volunteering is about including not excluding people.

What kind of volunteering is there?

Volunteering Project Days

If you’d like to give volunteering a go, organisations often run a variety of individual project days such as beach cleaning, brush clearing, etc. This gives you the chance to try out volunteering with an organisation which you can often dip in and out of. 

Student Led Projects

If you would like to create your own volunteering project we can give you advice and support on setting this up and can offer funding towards travel and resources. Previous projects have included the Eco Schools Project, an ICT project for local residents and a community Arts project where students interested in art invited local people on to campus to teach them about drawing, painting and photography. Click here for a one page guide to running your own project. 

Volunteering with local organisations

There are plenty of charities out there, looking for local support. Some of them, do just look for somebody to man their shop or to fundraise on their behalf but if you keep looking, you will find opportunities to create branding, work with young people and the elderly, work with animals and plenty more! These opportunities provide you with actual experience in a job that will help you make your CV standout. 

 Lots of places will offer travel expenses however please read through the information to double check what expenses are covered as some charities are unable to to do this. 

Volunteer with UCSU 

Academic Reps - if you are interested in quality, quality standards and supporting others, this is an opportunity right in your class! The opportunity will give you a chance to showcase the ability to synthesize information, negotiate, present and a whole lot more. This is how programmes of study are shaped and improved by student experiences. 

Rep roles usually run for an academic year and new reps are nominated in their class in September/October. If you want more information about the role e-mail studentvoice@cumbria.ac.uk. 

Campus Reps - is your campus just fab or could you add something to it that would make it even better? Do you have access to all the facilities that you need to study or is there something missing? These are just some of the questions that campus reps do ask with the aim of bringing about changes that benefit all students on campus. The opportunity also gives you a chance to shape the work of the Union and work side by side with other representatives and the UCSU Officers. 

These roles are accessed via election and nominations for these will open on 31st January. From that date onwards we will be going around different campuses to chat to students about these positions, so if you are interested, follow us on social media and come out and find us! 

Group leaders - student-led groups encourage students to use management, risk management, event planning and people skills in a safe and fun setting. You can either set up a totally new group or become the new leadership of an existing one. 

Current groups will be looking for new leadership around March so if you have an interest in taking over a particular group or would like to set a new one up for the next academic year, get in touch with studentgroups@cumbria.ac.uk.  

Ad-hoc UCSU support - your Union is a registered charity and we also welcome a helping hand. We often require videographers, article writers, photographers, PR experts...almost any skill goes! If you would be interested in supporting us in this way, please e-mail one of the Officers or our central inbox student.union@cumbria.ac.uk 

Where do I look for volunteering opportunities?
  • You will find some opportunities posted in My Career Enriched. These change all the time so check the platform regularly! 

  • In Cumbria, the best place to find opportunities, would be to visit the Cumbria CVS site . They have a whole host of local opportunities and the organisation also sends out vacancy newsletters to all of their registered volunteers  

  • If you are in Lancashire, visit the the Lancashire Volunteer Partnership. This is a great site that allows to filter opportunities by location and opportunity type 

  • The City of London sitelists a number of links for sourcing a variety of opportunities for those of you studying in the South 

Are there any other awards that may link with volunteering?

You may want to consider the University's Career Ahead Award - all your volunteering counts towards the award and there's loads of extra benefits to you and your career development.