We're already halfway through the academic year and things aren't exactly as we'd expected, with another national lockdown announced we are settling in for further virtual volunteering. Whilst we know this isn't ideal we are working with our partners to offer some brilliant volunteering opportunities and events over the next few months.
Whether you have dabbled in volunteering during term one or you are are a volunteer newbie, this article will provide you with all the great ways you can make 2021 the best year for volunteering, meet new people, pick up new skills and make a difference to local communities at their time of need!
New Year Volunteering Fair
There's no better place to get a feel for volunteering then at our New Year Volunteering Fair, log on on Wednesday 20 January between 12:00 - 15:00 to visit stalls from charities and community organisations, hear about the volunteering opportunities they have and how to get involved. Speak to partners via Zoom or drop them a question on their stall, and as always the volunteering team will be there to answer any of your burning questions and offer volunteering advice.
Volunteer Directory
If you couldn’t make any of the fairs this year, we've luckily got our super handy and easy-to-use volunteering directory, where you can browse all our latest volunteering opportunities to your heart’s content! You can filter by category and commitment to tailor your volunteering to your schedule and interests. There are lots of roles you can do without having to leave your home - such as telephone chat volunteering at Food Cycle, digital engagement roles at Terrence Higgins Trust and drawing, music, dance and tai chi instructors at Age UK! New roles come in daily so be sure to keep your eyes peeled, or better yet, sign up to our mailing list to receive the latests roles straight to your inbox each Monday.
In any role you start It's important that you follow the instructions of your Volunteer Manager, they will have risk assessed the activity to make sure you can do it safety. If you have any concerns or questions let them know or get in touch with us at the Volunteering Service.
Social Hackathons
If you saw our stories from participants from the November Social Hackathons and are feeling some hackathon-FOMO, don’t worry, we are holding our next series during February reading week. Interested in working with a group of students for one day to help a charity solve a current problem they are facing? Read about our Hackathons here and get your application in before the deadline on 1 February.
Student-Led Projects
If starting your own community project is something you are considering, the Student-Led Projects team can help you make this a reality. We’re currently supporting students to deliver their projects online - so don’t worry if you’re not based in London at the moment, you can still join our programme by creating a remote project. Read more and make an application here! If you are interested in becoming a Project Leader of an existing project, Headway East London are looking for you.
We can't wait to welcome you onboard a volunteering journey this year, get in touch if you want to tell us your volunteering story, find out more about any aspect of volunteering or simply say hi - our inbox is open!