Celebrate Our Student Volunteers and Get Involved!
Volunteering alongside your studies at university is a great way to contribute to the community, develop skills and help others.
Already this year, we have seen several students take on this new challenge and have a great time! Whether it be community gardening, working at a food bank or attending arts and crafts sessions with the local community 🎨👩🌾
There is a variety of opportunities that are live now on the Volunteering Hub.
However, at Bristol SU we know that committing to a long-term volunteer role can sometimes be difficult...
But!
One of the great ways you can still make a difference is by taking part in a One-off Opportunity
We host one-off opportunities every month with various organisations around Bristol.
It’s a flexible way to try out volunteering, make friends, gain new skills, and help others 🌟
You can join our WhatsApp Community to hear about our upcoming sessions. Or attend our Volunteering Fair which is happening in the Arnson Rooms of the Richmond Building on the 16th October!
Celebrating some of this terms Volunteers!
Dasha, UG International Business Management
Dasha joined the University Gardens and Grounds Team for a hands-on workshop where they built a Bug Hotel! Dasha found this one-off volunteer opportunity after browsing through the SU events page and decided to get involved.
Bug Hotels are important as they can help support bees, ladybirds and other insects, promoting biodiversity around campus 🐞🐝🪲
After the rewarding experience Dasha talked about what motivated her to take part in this one-off opportunity to our Volunteering and Skills Coordinator, Emily.
“I like that we’re benefiting the environment, by making a habitat for wildlife in the city. I find volunteering is also beneficial for me; I’m able to learn something new whilst also having some fun.”
When asked what she enjoyed about the opportunity Dasha said; “I’m able to try and do something different, it’s really nice to be able to try something that I wouldn’t do every day”
Thank you Dasha!
Maxim, UG Film and Television and Lula, UG Hons Law
Maxim and Lula both spent the afternoon at a local elderly residents’ association, to support them with their garden maintenance. It was a great chance to develop new skills, enjoy plenty of tea and biscuits and build relationships with a wonderful community.
For Maxim, volunteering is a chance to bond with his mates. It’s an activity where he can get out and do something good for the community which makes a change from just being at the pub! 💫
When speaking to Emily about what he likes about volunteering, Maxim said; “So far, I’ve done two gardening opportunities. For me, it gives me a real peace of mind. I like doing something active and physical, whilst also supporting something good.” 🌱🪴
Lula also enjoyed the one-off volunteering opportunity for the boost it gave to her mental wellbeing; “I liked taking part in an activity where I was off my phone and all the people I’ve met were super friendly. I’ve come back to all the other gardening opportunities and I’ve realised doing more work outdoors is something I’d like to keep on doing.”
When asked how volunteering has benefited Lula she said; “I can’t lie, a perk of volunteering is that I can put it on my CV. My volunteering hours will count towards the Bristol PLUS Award and it’s a great chance to learn some new skills, in a diverse range of areas. When am I going to learn how to take care of plants during my law degree?”
It was also great to see that Lula and others who took part in this opportunity really enjoyed it, so much so that they have decided to come back 🎉
“I’ve made a group chat with the other volunteers I’ve met today and we’re planning on coming back to the old people’s home regularly on Wednesday afternoons, to continue to help them take care of their garden.”
Thank you, Lula, Maxim and everyone else who has taken part in a volunteer opportunity this term!
If you want to find out more about these opportunities and more, join the WhatsApp Community!
How you can get involved!
Come and see one of our friendly full time staff at the Volunteer Fair which is happening on the 16th October in the Anson Rooms, Richmond Building.
Students can come to the fair to talk to the organisations, find out about the work they do and sign up to roles they're interested in.
This includes one-off opportunities and regular volunteering roles.
The link to the fair is here! Sign up now!
All the organisations attending can be previewed on the event listing.
You can also check out the dedicated Volunteer section on the SU website. Here you can find out more about the opportunities on offer via the Volunteering Hub.
There are also several student led projects available which make a difference to the lives of the local community and students.
Opportunities include community gardening, nightline staff, visiting a local shelter or helping those with extra needs. You can view the full list of student led opportunities using this link.
Finally, stay up to date with the latest from our SU Volunteer team by signing up to their newsletter.
