Volunteer as a student
Volunteering can be one of the most rewarding and enriching life experiences you will ever have. It's also a great way to improve your chances of getting a job.
Are you a UCLan student interested in volunteering?
Discover your next volunteering opportunity
Become a volunteer
If you're a student at UCLan you can register with us to become a volunteer. There are lots of volunteering opportunities and you can apply for any vacancies that interest you. We'll also get in touch regularly to let you know about the other volunteering and learning opportunities on offer.
With over 500 volunteering opportunities on offer, you’re bound to find something that inspires you. You could help lead projects in areas such as:
- Business
- Computing
- Events
- Finance
- Law
- Management
- Media
- Sports
You'll gain skills and experience in areas directly related to your interests or career aspirations.
Students who volunteer
CVCL is an exemplary team that enriches the university experience by promoting volunteerism and leadership. It empowers students to become active and engaged citizens, contributing positively to society while pursuing their studies.
What volunteering activity have you been involved in?
When I arrived at UCLan, I registered with CVCL and found opportunities that aligned with my passions, such as the Global Leadership Programme and volunteering at St. Catherine’s Hospice in Preston.
What do you think are the benefits of volunteering as a UCLan student?
Volunteering offers a profound opportunity to give back to the community, develop new skills, and forge meaningful connections. Through my volunteer experiences, I have found a deep sense of fulfilment and happiness in contributing to the well-being of those in need, particularly individuals within our community who require additional support. These experiences have reinforced my belief in the power of community and underscored the importance of giving back.
What advice would you give other students who would like to get involved in volunteering whilst they study?
I encourage my fellow students to embrace volunteering opportunities that align with their passions and availability while studying. Engaging in volunteer work not only allows you to make a positive impact but also provides experiences that will shape your future and create a lasting legacy of service and compassion.
Volunteering gives you the space to learn and give. It’s like a hobby you don’t have to pay for. You can volunteer with people working towards a similar goal and help other people in some way.
Don’t be put off from volunteering because you’re not from the immediate area. CVCL offers so many different kind of opportunities.
What volunteering activity have you been involved in?
I have volunteered with Let's Grow Preston, Brockholes Nature Reserve and Action Tutoring. I have also undertaken training with the Samaritans and plan to start volunteering with them in the near future.
What do you think are the benefits of volunteering as a UCLan student?
Volunteering enables you to learn from experiences in a patient and forgiving environment. You can give something back, you are always appreciated and organisations are grateful for the time you give. Similarly, volunteering has allowed me to benefit from good quality training opportunities, especially online training platforms.
What advice would you give other students who would like to get involved in volunteering whilst they study?
It can be daunting getting involved in community-based volunteering in:
a. a community that you are not from and
b. a community where you do not plan on staying.
Although Daisy has engaged in a lot of volunteering within the Preston area, the volunteering she engages in with Action Tutoring is remote and with young people aged 10-11 years from London. Similarly, when she starts volunteering with Samaritan’s she will be answering calls from people in crisis nationally.
I am a Global Leadership Development programme Facilitator. I volunteer alongside a diverse group of passionate facilitators. I had the privilege of guiding participants through a transformative leadership course. Witnessing their growth and the meaningful conversations in classrooms was truly inspiring.
What skills did you develop whilst volunteering?
As a facilitator, my goal was to create an environment where each participant felt comfortable to explore their potential. By collaborating with fellow facilitators, we tailored our approach to ensure every individual walked away with valuable insights and practical skills. Seeing the impact of the three days course that we made together was a powerful reminder of the importance of teamwork, communication skills, and adaptability.
What do you think are the benefits of volunteering as a UCLan student?
This experience resonates deeply with my journey as a final-year medical student. I am committed to fostering a similar impact in my clinical practice. The leadership skills I’ve honed: active listening, collaborative problem-solving, and compassionate communication are integral to patient care. As I transition into my role as a future doctor, these experiences will serve as a foundation for delivering holistic and patient-centred care.
How do you think that volunteering will support you in your future career?
Becoming a Facilitator has reinforced my belief that leadership and medicine are deeply intertwined. Both require a commitment to continuous learning, an openness to diverse perspectives, and a dedication to making a positive difference in the lives of others. I’m excited to carry forward these lessons into my medical career.
Benefits of volunteering with CVCL
- Get valuable work experience
- Make a positive contribution to the local community and beyond
- Gain nationally accredited leadership and management qualifications
- Volunteering activity is added to your transcript when you graduate
- Meet new people and extend your network of contacts
- Develop the skills that employers want
- Improve your mental health and wellbeing
- Win awards presented at our annual Volunteering Celebration Event
Once you start volunteering, make sure you register with CVCL and log your hours on your volunteering account. You could then achieve the following awards:
- Bronze award for 30 volunteering hours
- Silver award for 60 volunteering hours
- Gold award for 100 volunteering hours
- Platinum award for 300 volunteering hours
- Vice Chancellors Award of Excellence for 500 volunteering hours
If you want to volunteer with children or vulnerable adults, you'll need to get a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. A DBS check is a way for organisations to check your criminal record, to help decide whether you are a suitable person to volunteer for them. Most organisations will carry out their own DBS checks, but some cannot afford to do this, so CVCL can undertake the check on their behalf.
Complete our online form to request a CVCL DBS check. This allows the us to start the DBS process. You'll then need to follow these steps:
- Complete a full online DBS application form. You will receive information on how to do this in an email from the Online Disclosure Service. Please check your junk mail if you do not to receive this email.
- Once submitted, please email the CVCL Team to arrange a day and time to have your identity documents verified.
Please note that any identity documents you provide must be original documents. We cannot accept photocopies, photographs or scanned documents.
A DBS check can take up to 6 weeks to process, so please be patient.
Once you have received your DBS certificate, check for any highlighted issues. If there are none, you can then inform the host organisation that you can start volunteering with them. Your host organisation may ask to see your DBS certificate. Please don’t forget to log your volunteering hours.
If you receive your DBS certificate and there are convictions or cautions listed, please do not be discouraged. This does not automatically exclude you from volunteering. Please email the CVCL Team to discuss your options further.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, CVCL will require you to watch an induction video as part of the volunteering registration process. The purpose of the induction is to ensure that you're able to carry out your volunteering roles as effectively as possible. The induction video is less than 10 minutes and covers topics like how to get started, how to log your volunteering hours, and what awards you can achieve for volunteering.
Your volunteering is managed by you and is an opportunity to enhance your university experience. Home students can volunteer for as many hours as you want. However, it's important that you don't take on too much, which then leaves little time for studying. Browse our opportunities to find something that fits in with your existing commitments.
If you are an international student studying on a tier 4 visa, please be aware that your visa states that you can only work for up to 20 hours a week. This includes volunteering.
International students on an exchange visa are only here for one semester. Unfortunately, you have a zero limit, so you can't undertake any volunteering.
If you are an international student studying on a tier 4 visa, please be aware that your visa states that you can only work for up to 20 hours a week. This also includes volunteering. So, if you do have a part-time job for 15 hours per week, you would have five hours remaining to volunteer. If you worked part-time for 18 hours per week, then this would leave you with only 2 hours per week to volunteer.
International students on an exchange visa are only here for one semester. Unfortunately, you have a zero limit, so you would not be able to volunteer.
For community-based volunteering, most organisations will provide training opportunities or at the very least, an induction. Please make enquiries with your host organisation for further information.
CVCL offer a range of accredited Continuous Professional Development (CPD) qualifications to students who are interested in undertaking further training whilst they volunteer. This incudes:
- Mentoring
- Research Skills
- Impact of Volunteering
- Global Leadership Development programme
Qualifications are being developed regularly, so keep a look out on our learning and development webpage.
If you are volunteering with children or vulnerable adults, you may be asked to complete a DBS check. This is a way for organisations to check your criminal record and decide whether you are a suitable person to volunteer with them.
Most organisations will carry out their own DBS checks, but some can't afford to do this. In this situation, CVCL can undertake the check on their behalf. To request a DBS check, please see Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for more information.
Please note that DBS checks can take up to six weeks, so please be patient. And remember, you only need one if you are working with children or vulnerable adults.
Yes, we’ve designed our volunteering opportunities so that you can volunteer regularly. There's no limit on the amount of opportunities you sign up for - you could volunteer on a short-term basis or as a one off. We just ask you to log your hours as you complete them. This is so that we can keep track of how much your volunteering efforts are boosting the local economy and helping you to gain experience.
We encourage you to get involved and take advantage of opportunities throughout the summer. Whether you want to volunteer in Lancashire or where you live out of term time, you can still log your volunteering hours.
For community-based volunteering, you are responsible for making your own transport arrangements. Some organisations are able to reimburse their volunteers travel expenses. Please make enquiries with your host organisation for more information.
Transport is sometimes provided to events and activities which CVCL have organised. This will be arranged with you as and when you volunteer for these opportunities.
Quality standard
- The Centre for Volunteering and Community Leadership (CVCL) have achieved the Investors for Volunteers quality standard until 2025. To meet the quality standard we were assessed in six quality areas. The mark indicates our appreciation for volunteers and our dedication to volunteering within the organisation.Investing in Volunteers