Starting a volunteering programme

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.

Step 1 - Plan

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 football activity for Primary School children who are struggling in the play ground
• Do a one-off musical performance for socially isolated elderly members of a local community centre
• Raise money for a children’s hospital
• Organise a one day sporting tournament for Secondary School students

Volunteering Services provide Project Leader Training which will guide you through the planning and operational aspects of setting up a project.

Step 2 - Find a community partner

Volunteering Services can help you with this. We have strong links with local Primary and Secondary Schools and we work with over 200 community and charity organisations. Alternatively, if you already have an organisation in mind, we can help you contact them and negotiate your project commitments.

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 work load. 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 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 population such as children or the elderly you will also need to make sure everyone has done a DBS check, we can process this at the Volunteering Service.

Step 4 - Write a Budget

You may need money to fund your project. You can apply for a Volunteering Service Small Grant of up to £750 for operational costs such as equipment, specialised training or catering for an event. All travel expenses are reimbursed by the Volunteering Service.

The scope of your volunteering project is endless and the skills and experience your members will gain from being involved is invaluable. Student’s Union UCL Clubs and Societies have developed award winning volunteering projects that have had a significant impact on the local community and your Club or Society can do the same. So, get in touch with the Volunteering Service and let’s get planning.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected].