There is huge potential for you and your members to share your skills and interests with the local community. A volunteering project provides an alternative and meaningful activity for your members and the Volunteering Service is here to help you plan your project, connect you to a community organisation, provide training, apply for funding and guide you through policies and procedures. Volunteering can also help your club or society get greater recognition.
STEP 1: Plan your project
Identify the aims and objectives of your project and what needs in the community you would like to address. For example:
- Provide a weekly lunch time sports activity for primary school children
- Do a one-off musical performance for socially isolated elderly members of alocal community centre
You will be provided with Project Leader Training and a Project Supervisor to guide you through the planning and operational aspects of setting up a project.
When completing your project plan, you can apply for up to £500 of funding for operational costs such as equipment, specialised training or catering for an event. All travel expenses are reimbursed by the Volunteering Service.
Once you have planned the specifics of your project, you will need to complete a risk assessment form before you start any project activity.
STEP 2: Find a community partner
The Volunteering Service can help you with this. We have strong links with over 400 community organisations and distribute our SLP Partners’ newsletter, where you can advertise your project to local schools and community organisations.
STEP 3: Recruit other volunteers
There’s quite a lot to do in planning and running a volunteer project and it helps to share the workload. You’ll need a group of committed volunteers to deliver the project and it’s a good idea to have at least one other Project Leader. Many Clubs and Societies have appointed a Volunteering Officer who is in charge of looking after the project, communicating with your partner organisation and volunteer recruitment.
You will need to make sure your volunteers are registered with the Volunteering Service for insurance purposes and if you are working with a vulnerable group such as children or older people, you and your volunteers may need to complete a DBS check - we can process this.
Visit our Project Leader Resources webpage for important forms and useful information that will help you with the management of your Student-Led Project.
You can use this checklist to keep track of the steps you need to follow!