Why Volunteer?

Volunteering can improve your confidence, career and personal development. It helps you meet others who share your interests, have fun and make contacts which could be useful after you graduate.

In a recent survey, volunteering impressed future employers with 73% saying they’d rather employ someone who had volunteered rather than someone who hadn’t. It shows initiative and a commitment to developing skills and knowledge outside your course.

What’s in it for me?

It can help you put your learning into action and give you skills and experience that will get you noticed by employers. Volunteering also provides opportunities to try out ideas and gather research data for your studies too. One student commented:

" I can put into practice what I have learnt almost immediately. Not only has this helped me develop my own style of facilitation … but has given me ample chance to experiment with new teaching techniques and using risk assessments and other bits of paperwork – it has really helped my learning in these areas."

Volunteering can help you develop skills that employers value:

• Leadership
• Organisation
• Negotiation
• Prioritising
• Decision making
• Communication
• Team work
• Motivating others
• Using your initiative

For more information have a look at the Developing Skills Through Volunteering page.

What can we offer?

Volunteering can be fitted in around your course and time available. We can help by finding a placement with a local charity or club, organising one-off student group activities or helping you to set up your own projects - a chance to put your ideas into action! There are lots of course-related volunteering opportunities out there. Maybe you want to be a coach, art therapist or a teacher? Whatever you want to do Volunteers @ Chi will help you find an opportunity that suits your timetable, your interests and your time available.

Current opportunities

Have a look at the latest opportunities by clicking on current volunteering opportunities available, then select 'voluntary/work exp' and on the new page click on 'search for vacancies'.

Specific areas of interest 

If you know the sort of experience you’d like to gain, click on one of the links below and find out more about what local charities or projects have to offer. If you are interested contact us.

• Sport
• Health
• Fundraising
• Education
• Disability
• Culture & Heritage
• Conservation
• Art & Performance

International and EU Students

Volunteering is a brilliant way to meet people, improve your colloquial English and find out what living in Britain is really like.

To make it easier to volunteer in the UK it is worth thinking about the following before you arrive:

1. Get a copy of your police record from your home country

UK law requires anyone working with children, young people or vulnerable adults to produce evidence that they have no relevant criminal convictions. Therefore, if you are interested in volunteering, it would be a good idea to bring a copy of your record or a letter of conduct from your local police force.

2. Get contact details for referees

Most organisations require references for their volunteers. Before you come, ask three people you know well to act as referees. These should be people you've known in a professional capacity for at least two years, and who are easy to contact. You will need to bring an up to date postal and email address, phone and fax number with you for each referee

Get Recognised for Volunteering

If you’re under 25 years old, you can get your volunteering recognised by Outset Youth Action: www.outsetyouth.org.uk.  Just fill in a registration form and start counting your hours!  Get your placement supervisor to countersign them and you’ll get a certificate which is nationally recognised by V-Involved, the new national youth volunteering programme, aiming to revolutionise youth action in England. V-Involved has now replaced the Millennium Volunteers programme in England

If you’re volunteering with a school or community sports organisation, you can qualify for the Sussex County Sports Partnership’s Rewards package – but you must register first and get your hours signed off.

We also send certificates to individual volunteers who have completed one or more projects with Volunteers @ Chi to say thank you!

So don’t delay!  The sooner you contact Volunteers @ Chi.ac.uk the better!