Monday 14-05-2018 - 14:54

With the sun working extra time at the moment, it's understandable that everyone’s attention is turning to summer.

There is only a slither of the university year left so it is time to start making those summer plans. Whether you're dreaming about beaches or planning adventures, there is always more free time than you imagine over the holidays, and we have some great volunteering ideas for you to make the most of the months off.

For those students who are staying in the city, there is a wealth of opportunity in Manchester. Whether you want to immerse yourself in your new community, or you are living at home in Manchester, we have a heap of ideas to fill your days!

 

Why Volunteer?

Volunteering is a great way to get outdoors over the summer, meet new people and make new friends from different backgrounds. Whether you have an hour a week, or a whole spare week, there is bound to be something you can do to keep your brain engaged and your social life strong.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YHA

The YHA ticks all the boxes - fun, a great chance to meet new people and an amazing new set of skills to take home with you. This is a fantastic way to fill some time in summer. The volunteer roles are a week long with training provided and expenses paid. The week long residential, is an opportunity for disadvantaged children and young people to go on an adventure and try some outdoor activities. YHA are looking for Team Leaders who will provide essential pastoral care to campers and encourage them to make the most of the exciting outdoor challenges on offer and you can join in too. The YHA are passionate about youth development and volunteering, and as a volunteer you will receive support and help with your personal development. This adventurous and exciting role will really get you noticed by employers, it shows you are proactive and can take on a challenge, you will gain leadership skills and have some fantastic experiences to talk about it interviews. 
Sign up ASAP as the deadline is Thursday 31 May! 

Find out more here and here.

 

Local Roles

Milk and Honey is a bright, vibrant, community café, great for students living on campus as it's just on Oxford Road, at St Peter's House.

This is an energetic, fun and friendly role, serving people, making drinks and general café roles and they are looking for students staying over the summer. This is a great to gain customer service skills and build your confidence, plus they put on loads of cool events like a mindfulness café and yoga! It really is a community hub and a great place to get involved with.

Find out more here.

 

Digital Opportunities - Made with Hope
This opportunity is hot off the press. If you are interested in digital marketing, or international development this is for you. This small up-and-coming charity are looking for digital marketing support from volunteers. The role involves working in a gorgeous office warehouse in Ancoats. The roles offers creative freedom, flexibility and autonomy, working closely with the charities finder and lots of flexibility and opportunity for personal development.

Find out more.

 

 

 

 

Festivals

George House Trust – PRIDE!

 Can you think of a better way to spend the summer than volunteering with George House Trust, planning their involvement in Pride Festival, ending obviously with seeing the festival and celebrating the amazing work you've done over the summer?
This fun, creative and autonomous role is perfect for enthusiastic students with big ideas!
The role says  "as our Pride Support Volunteer, you’ll gain valuable experience in event planning and organisation and volunteer management. You’ll work closely with our staff team to ensure that George House Trust has a high profile at Manchester’s LGBT Pride and that our volunteers have a great experience of helping at the event. It is the ideal position to gain a range of skills during the summer months that will be extremely useful for potential employers. We are also able to provide references for the Pride Support Volunteer."

Find out more about the role.

 

The Union – Arts Festival

This festival is all about exploring how to bring people together. Our students are at the heart of that. As part of a large-scale national network of projects, Manchester Metropolitan University in partnership with the Students’ Union is delivering a film and arts festival which will explore hate crime and inclusivity as two opposing constructs.

This is a being hosted and organised by The Union. It is a unique opportunity, to volunteer on your doorstep, on an innovative and creative festival, whilst receiving top notch support from your volunteer team. There are two roles, Event Management Volunteer and Creative Production Volunteer. 

 

 

 

Maybe you are not quite ready to commit to a longer term role, and we get that! Want a fast warm fuzzy feeling? Give just one day, or even one afternoon. There are several one-off opportunities, where you can help charities raise those all important funds.

British Red Cross  

Age UK 

RNLI : Email volunteering@rnli.org.uk

One Manchester are looking for green fingered garden volunteers for one day only.

 

 

It can be hard to know what sort of volunteering you want to do, what activities you will enjoy and who you want to help. On Monday 4 June there is a Volunteer Fair at Central Library 10:30 - 14:30.

This is a fantastic chance to meet organisations and find out about a huge range of roles, and it would be great if a group of student would like to all go together!

If you're interested and want to visit with Helen, Volunteering Coordinator at The Union, just get in touch with: volunteering@mmu.ac.uk  

 

Want to find out more about Volunteering? Visit our webpage, email us or come and say hello to us in the Opportunties Office on the first floor of The Union.