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Volunteering at The SU
We love connecting our community with other like-minded groups and organisations, volunteering is a brilliant way to explore your interests, meet new people, try new experiences and make a difference. We work with a range of community partners and charities to support your volunteering ambition.
You can track your volunteering hours through the Legends scheme, receiving rewards for particular milestones during your time at university.
Hours logged by our Legends
Date
Recognition scheme
By taking part in our Volunteering Scheme and registering your hours on 'Legends', you can get your commitment to volunteering recognised with certificates, incentives and a fantastic 'Skills Record' that you can present to future employers.
Students with outstanding volunteering contribution will also be considered for the SU Awards.
We are currently working on additional incentives and rewards for volunteering.
Keep track of your hours
If you are an international student, please also be aware that there are restrictions on volunteering and voluntary work.
We are currently revisiting the Legends scheme. You can log your hours for the 2022/23 academic year.
How to log your hours Log your hours
If you have any questions about volunteering, please email activities@thesu.org.uk.
Online opportunities
We wanted to share some amazing online opportunities to expand your horizons and make new connections. They are a fantastic and easy way to make a difference, without taking up much time and being able to do it anytime, anywhere on your own terms.
We would love to hear your stories of how you are helping. If you would like to feature in our news stories, please email comms@thesu.org.uk.
Don't forget to log your hours on our Legends Platform if you are volunteering!
Research and conservation
Instant Wild brings you live images from cameras around the world. Tag the animals to help conservation research. What rare species will you find?
Zooniverse
ZSL’s Instant Wild empowers you to take part in vital conservation work by bringing you LIVE images and videos from amazing locations all around the world for you to identify. You don’t need any special expertise to take part – help is provided in our handy Field Guides – simply sign up and start tagging the animals in the images.
ZSL Instant Wild
Contribute to Science: Every observation can contribute to biodiversity science, from the rarest butterfly to the most common backyard weed. We share your findings with scientific data repositories like the Global Biodiversity Information Facility to help scientists find and use your data. All you have to do is observe.
iNaturalist
Record and share your bird sightings to contribute to research, science, and conservation.
eBird
Language and communication
Phrase Detective is an interactive game designed to create linguistic resources. Your contribution will be used to improve language technology online.
Phrase Detectives
Teach or learn a language online by talking to people from all over the world.
Speak Social
Transcribe or translate TED talks to enable inspiring ideas to criss-cross languages and borders.
TED Translate
Translators Without Borders
Are you fluent in more than one language? Put your skills to great use in engaging projects to suit all preferences. There are also great opportunities for graphic and web page designers.
Translators Without Borders
History
They need your help to turn our collection of handwritten correspondence between anti-slavery activists in the 19th century into texts that can be more easily read and researched by students, teachers, historians, and big data applications.
Anti-Slavery Manuscripts
The Imperial War Museum is looking for volunteers to transcribe and verify records, stories, film or war diaries... you never know where this could transport you back to...
Imperial War Museum
Humanitarian
Through our detailed research and determined campaigning, Amnesty International helps fight abuses of human rights worldwide. Join a campaign and write a letter to make a change.
Amnesty Write for Rights
Missing maps is an open and collaborative project in which you can help to map areas where humanitarian organisations are trying to meet the needs of vulnerable people. No experience is needed to be able to take part!
Missing Maps
Creative
Catchafire supports non-profit organisations and connects them with volunteers to support their projects. From graphic design to video editing and case study writing.
Catchafire
Knit, crochet, and sew for charities and people in need, based in the UK and Internationally.
Loving Hands
Youth Hostels Association
Youth Hostels Association is looking for digital social media, fundraising and videographer volunteers. They are supported with 12-week schedules and meet requirements of Duke of Edinburgh (DoFE) Award Scheme.
Youth Hostels Association
Accessibility
Be My Eyes connects people needing sighted support with volunteers and companies through live video around the world.
Be My Eyes
Crowdsourcing platform. Rate and map accessibility of locations around you to help people with disabilities navigate the world with ease.
AXS Map
Social Support
Become a Telephone Friendship Service volunteer and make a difference to happiness and wellbeing of an older person.
Age UK
Supported by Clinical Supervisors, you will take text conversations with children, young people and adults who are struggling to cope, empowering them to take their next steps towards wellbeing and signposting to support services.
Shout
Take action to abolish loneliness among the older communities. You will be linked with a grandparent, based on mutual likes and interests.
Adopt a Grandparent
Fundraising and campaigning
Play an album of relaxing surf sounds and fundraise for SurfAid. The more you play, the more you donate.
Surfify
Download a distance-tracking app and turn miles you run into money for charity.
Charity Miles
Take part in one of the campaigns to support LGBTQ+ equality by writing letters to your MP, fundraising and sharing social media campaigns
Stonewall
Fundraising
The SU is a registered charity, meaning we (and your group) cannot donate money to other charities. Students' unions have an exemption from this rule, but all charitable donations from affiliated student groups MUST be processed through the Raise & Donate accounts. Don't worry - your group will still receive all the recognition for your efforts!
How to fundraise
If you are an affiliated student group you must let us know that you are fundraising, in order to be compliant with charity law. You should follow the usual Event Process and submit Event Proposal Form. We will then get back to you and support your fundraiser.
If you are not a member of an affiliated student group and would like to organise a fundraising event, you need to join RAD.
You can also fundraise for your own group - the same process applies.
For more information on how to get involved, contact Activities Team.
Cashless SU
We are currently operating as cashless SU, meaning we do not permit cash donations/collection buckets for fundraisers. All donations must either come through ticket sales or our card reader - please find link below to request it.
Using the card machine