Student Volunteering Week 2024 – what to expect

Student Volunteering Week 2024 is approaching and you might be thinking – what is it? What’s the point? And, most importantly; how can I get involved?

What is Student Volunteering Week?

Student Volunteering Week is an annual event that celebrates and promotes student volunteering across the UK. It encourages students to:

• Engage in volunteer activities
• Develop valuable skills for their future
• Make a positive impact on the communities in which they live.

When will Student Volunteering Week 2024 take place?

Student Volunteering Week 2024 is happening from Monday 12th to Sunday 18th February 2024.

What to expect from Student Volunteering Week 2024 

If you’re a student, it’s likely that your university will be hosting one or more events during the week. These might include:

• Sessions on getting into volunteering
• Charity spotlights, or volunteer days with specific charities
• Volunteering fairs
• Taster workshops

You can check your university volunteering service, careers or student union page for information on what activities they’re hosting throughout the week.

What types of volunteering opportunities are available to me as a student?

The world is your oyster! There are a huge range of opportunities to get involved in, depending on your interests and skills. Here are some common categories of volunteering you can get involved in:

• Conservation: opportunities include tree planting, cleanups and habitat restoration.
• Education: tutor or mentor younger pupils who would benefit from your help. 
• Community: students can volunteer at local community centres, food banks, or shelters.
• Elderly: provide companionship or assistants to seniors at home or in nursing homes.
• International volunteering: some students choose to volunteer abroad, contributing to projects related to education, healthcare or construction.

Why do students volunteer?

Most of the reasons students volunteer are shared by all volunteers – to give back, explore interests and build a sense of purpose.

Another key motivation is that volunteering provides an opportunity to gain practical experience in a specific field. Volunteering can help students build their CVs and enhance their skills in preparation for future careers. 

Some students get involved in volunteering as part of their university course. This can be in the form of a placement, volunteering module or a work-based learning module.

It’s also a great opportunity to network. At Action Tutoring, many of our staff members volunteered with us before taking the opportunity to join our staff team!

“During my university placement, I tutored both online and face-to-face and really enjoyed seeing the impact of the work I was doing with the pupils in real-time. I enjoyed tutoring more and more with every session.

My interest in the charity sector and my passion for reducing educational inequality spurred me on to apply for the role of North West Programme Coordinator! This role has enabled me to deepen my understanding of the education charity sector and develop within myself as a young professional.”

– Laura, North West Programme Coordinator

How can I find out more about volunteering with Action Tutoring?

To find out more about volunteering with Action Tutoring this Student Volunteering Week 2024, just head to our volunteer page, or check out our role description.

Already an Action Tutoring volunteer, and want to get involved in Student Volunteering Week 2024?

There are a number of ways in which you can get involved and help us to grow our volunteer community.

• Post on social media about your experiences volunteering with us. This could be your “why”, sharing our impact data, your top tutoring tip or a volunteering highlight. Don’t forget to tag us! 
• Get creative on TikTok. It goes without saying that you can’t film your pupils, but we’d love to see your journey to/from your programme, session highlights or any advice you have for new volunteers who are thinking about getting involved.
• Write a blog on your experiences volunteering. Most university volunteering or careers services have a blog to share volunteer experiences and shine a light on different charities.

So, we hope you’ve come away with at least one idea of how to get involved in Student Volunteering Week! A huge thank you to all students who are already volunteering alongside their studies and making a difference in their communities.