Gain Experience, Make a Difference! Join the Careers and Employability Service on Wednesday 18 October, from 12:30-2:30pm at the Old Gymnasium, Regent Street Campus, for UoW Volunteering Fair 2023

This event will give you the opportunity to meet and engage with a wide range of charities, community groups and social enterprises, offering a variety of volunteering and work experience opportunities. Please read on to find out more.

To book now, visit Engage

Want to make a change?

If you wish to make a positive difference to the world around you, there is, no easier way than signing up to volunteer. There are more than 170,000 charitable organisations within the UK, with many regularly recruiting students just like you.

In mid-October, we will welcome representatives from a range of charities to meet with you in-person and discuss how you can join them.

What can you gain from volunteering?

The personal benefits of volunteering are numerous but include:

• The opportunity to develop your employability skills.
• Boost your confidence and wellbeing.
• Support the issues you care about
• Enhance your CV.
• Widen your professional and social networks.
• Receive free training.

You will also find that the process of applying will provide valuable practice for future placement or graduate applications.

Furthermore, the Careers and Employability Service (CES) recognise the incredible value, which can be found from volunteering, which is why you can gain Westminster Employability Award points for doing so.

So, which organisations will be there?

More than 20 organisations will be in attendance for this year’s event including: Action Tutoring, Barnados, , Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust (CLCH), Doctors of the World, Radio Harrow, ReachOut, St. Mungo’s.

More organisations to be confirmed, so please check the event page regularly for updates. 

What type of roles are available, and will I have the time?

Many of the voluntary positions available are reflective of the opportunities you would find in the graduate jobs market such as administration, business development, communications, events management, healthcare support, legal support, marketing, research, recruitment, and teaching, to name just a few.

The difference is that unlike a paid role, there is a lot more flexibility in terms of when and how you work. For example, some roles require as little as 30-minutes of your time per week, and you can choose when this is done.

The rewards, which come from investing your time in this activity are strongly endorsed by our Student Volunteer of the Year winner, Bukola Olafenwa who volunteered at education based charity, Action Tutoring: I feel wonderful knowing that I am significantly improving students’ academic performance in terms of knowledge and increased self-esteem. I was recently moved with joy when a pupil I successfully assisted in overcoming a lack of interest and confidence declared to me at the conclusion of a session, “You are my favourite tutor”

Would I need to travel?

You will find that an increasing number of roles can be done from home, thereby eliminating the need to worry about travel and the associated costs. However, if you do need to commute, fear not as out-of-pocket expenses incurred by volunteers are typically covered by the organisation (please check with the recruiter).

Are there any other benefits to volunteering?

Yes, as well as gaining WEA points, you can claim a Certificate of Achievement and nominate yourself for Student Volunteer of the Year (for information on how to apply, please email volunteering@westminster.ac.uk).

So, where can I find volunteer opportunities?

Volunteering Services are in regular engagement with third sector organisations to ensure a range of volunteering roles are advertised on Engage. Attending the Volunteering Fair offers you the chance to meet a variety of charities in person, all gathered in one place. This allows you to directly engage with them and learn about the diverse array of available opportunities.

To book now, visit Engage

I want to know more about Volunteering, what can I do?

For more advice and tips on how to choose, find and apply for roles, please read our guide, Volunteering: The How’s, What’s and Why’s.

What next?

Join the Student Volunteering Services, part of the Careers and Employability Service, for our next on-campus Volunteering Fair, taking place on Wednesday 18th October 2023, from 12:30 – 2:30pm! To find out more and book your place visit Engage.

A timetable of all attending organisations will be available closer to the date.

Get in touch!

Student Volunteering Services are available online and ready to answer your queries – So, if you would like to know more about the Volunteering Fair or require support with finding a role, send us an email  

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Many thanks to Jonathan Osanyingbemi, Work Experience and Recruiter Engagement Coordinator, for writing this article. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the fair; and hope you will boost your skills through volunteering.

For any careers support, please reach out to us via the channels below.

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