JVN Blog

Student Volunteering Week is from 22^nd-28^th February this year. In its 15^th year, SVW is now an important fixture in the calendars of colleges and universities up and down the country, with 86 institutions taking part this year.

The aim is simple: to get students enthusiastic about volunteering and showcase the range of opportunities available to them during term time. Students have a long, proud and impressive history of volunteering and getting involved in social action projects. The need for volunteers nowadays is now perhaps greater than ever and you can make a difference by volunteering in a way that fits your schedule and even complements your studies.

Our top five reasons to volunteer as a student

1. Without volunteers society could not survive. A huge number of our key institutions and charitable organisations would not survive without the help of committed volunteers. Many valued roles, including those on almost all student societies and committees, are filled by dedicated volunteers.
2. Volunteering is good for you. Not only is volunteering great for other people, it can also improve your health and wellbeing by relieving stress, giving you energy and boosting your confidence. A hard day in the lab or the library can be forgotten about by doing something great and making a difference. You can come to our upcoming seminar, free of charge, on 16^th March to hear more about this.
3. Volunteering helps you move forward. Why not find a volunteering position that complements your studies – there are many roles in research, marketing, retail, event planning, politics… the list goes on. It will also improve your career prospects, teaching you transferable skills and giving you invaluable experience.
4. It’s a very sociable thing to do. Student life is all about meeting new people and trying new things. Volunteering is a great way to meet like-minded people who are passionate about the same things you are and you can be part of a team making a real difference.
5. It’s a Jewish thing to do! Feeling a bit out of touch with Jewish life at university? JSoc not your thing? Volunteering is an inherent part of Jewish tradition and a way of connecting with your Jewish identity without any additional religious commitments.

So why not give it a go? Click here to see what’s going on at your college or university for SVW.

There is also a Jewish programme, Vscheme, designed specifically to help Jewish students get the most out of volunteering at university. Currently operating in Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and Nottingham, you can contact the evolve team at our partners JLGB to find out what’s happening on your campus.