Volunteering

Getting involved in volunteering

Volunteering is not only satisfying, it makes a lot of sense. Over 70% of employers say they prefer candidates with experience outside of their degree. Volunteering gives you that experience to stand out.

 

Northumbria Students' Union

The Union offers thousands of different volunteering opportunities; if you have a passion for a cause you want to see develop, if you just want to get involved and do something different, if you want to get make friends for life or if you just want to do something different while at Northumbria, then we’ve got something for you.

NSU/Community

The Union offers thousands of different volunteering opportunities; if you have a passion for a cause you want to see develop, if you just want to get involved and do something different, if you want to get make friends for life or if you just want to do something different while at Northumbria, then we’ve got something for you.  

NSU/RAG

NSU/RAG is Northumbria Students’ Union’s student fundraising programme. In 2017 we raised over £60,000 for dozens of charities, local and national. It’s not just about shaking a tin on a street, our volunteers organised sponsored events and activities to raise money from Edinburgh to climbing the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro.

NSU/Media

NSU/Media is Northumbria Students’ Union’s student led media – from radio to print, from photography to video, from behind the scenes to being the public face, we offer dozens of opportunities for students to learn more about working in media and developing their own portfolio of content as well as keeping Northumbria students in touch with what’s going on. 

Whatever you do, volunteering is a great way to make a difference to those around you, build your CV from taking part to running a project yourself in a real environment where your decisions affect people’s lives, and to make friends doing something you love. All your volunteering with the Union is recorded on your Higher Education Achievement Report. 

Here are some examples of the type of projects you could get involved with in the Union:

Project ICE

Our national award winning volunteer project hosts weekly classes for local older people, helping them to understand basic IT and become confident at using email, the internet, word processing and more. It helps older people feel more confident through building skills that are essential in day to day life and stay in contact with family and friends across the UK and overseas. 

Animal Shelter

Our students help to run at a local animal shelter to care for abandoned and rescued pets, making sure they have the best chance in life

The Line

Our campaign to challenge sexual harassment and assault, on campus, in the city and nationally 

Freshers’ Team

From helping move new students into halls, to helping them home at the end of the night, our Freshers’ Team make a real difference welcoming new students and every team member gets free entry to all our Freshers’ entertainments when not volunteering.

For all our opportunities, visit our Volunteering page.

Volunteering & Internships with Northumbria University Sport

If you are a driven and ambitious student, serious about developing your career while at University - this programme is the place to start.

You don’t need to be studying a sport related degree to get involved. We offer a range of volunteering and internship opportunities within  our sport department, as well as media, marketing and events positions.

As a Volunteer or Intern for Northumbria University Sport, you'll receive:

• Real work experience in one of the UK's Top 5 Sport Facilities*
• One to one mentoring from expert professionals
• An opportunity to take ownership of your own projects in a real work environment
• A chance to represent a UK Top 10* University for Sport
• Training and development opportunities
• Access to first aid and safeguarding courses (both essential to those wanting to work in sport)
• A chance to meet new people and make new friends 

*Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2014 **Which? University Survey 2014

Visit Northumbria University Sport's website for further information about Volunteering and Internship opportunities.

Zambia Project

Groups of Northumbria students go to a Zambian school for six weeks to increase sport participation and promote a healthy lifestyle. This is a truly life-changing experience for all those who take part. Visit Northumbria University Sport's website for further information about The Zambia Project.