More volunteering opportunities

Source: https://www.leeds.ac.uk/alumni-volunteering/doc/more-volunteering-opportunities Parent: https://www.leeds.ac.uk/alumni

As well as offering internships and placements at your organisation or mentoring students, there are many other ways you can volunteer at Leeds.

Our volunteering registration form can help us to match the most relevant volunteering opportunity to you. Alternatively, take a look at our list of voluntary opportunities to learn how you can inspire our students and potential applicants.

Complete our volunteering registration form

Global volunteering opportunities

Global volunteering opportunities allow alumni to give back to the University and support Leeds students wherever you might be.

There is a global network of over 350,000 Leeds alumni around the world. Network with fellow alumni in your country, meet University staff who are travelling and share your experiences and memories of your time at Leeds through one of our global opportunities:

Support an alumni event

• From networking lunches to cultural celebrations, volunteering at an event provides a valuable opportunity to meet fellow alumni, network, reminisce and stay connected to life at Leeds.
• You can attend existing events or, with our support, host gatherings in your region.
• To find out more about hosting or taking part in an event in your area, email the Alumni and Supporter Volunteering team alumnivolunteers@leeds.ac.uk

Give a pre-departure briefing

• Talk to prospective students who live outside the UK about your experiences studying at the University of Leeds. Many international prospective students don’t get the opportunity to visit Leeds before moving, so the opportunity to talk to alumni is an important step for people as they transition to study in the UK.
• Pre-departure briefings can be held online. They may also be held in person as part of a recruitment fair or offer holder event happening outside of the UK.
• Several alumni and supporters often attend, so these events are also an opportunity to network and reminisce about your time at Leeds.
• To express interest in taking part in pre-departure briefings, fill out our volunteering registration form.

Attend an international higher education fair

• Join higher education fairs to speak to prospective students who may be interested in studying at the University of Leeds. Share your passion for the University and the city of Leeds to help prospective students feel confident in their decision to study here.
• You might be asked to share a presentation about your experience at Leeds, the application process and your transition to UK study. These are great opportunities for volunteers looking to build confidence in public speaking.
• These events are often attended by members of the University team and are a great opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni.
• To express interest in taking part in international higher education fairs, fill out our volunteering registration form.

Become a Global Alumni Ambassador

• The main purpose of the Global Alumni Ambassador programme is to develop a strong network of key alumni contacts and representatives in different geographical areas.
• The role of a Global Alumni Ambassador can be varied, depending on the University’s regional priorities. The Ambassador will work closely with the Alumni and Supporter Engagement team at the University of Leeds.
• Global Alumni Ambassadors help inform the University about local activity and upcoming cultural events. They share insights on what graduate life is like in regions across the world.
• Ambassadors offer information and guidance to prospective and current Leeds students and support the growth of alumni activity by organising various types of alumni events in their region.
• This is a professional voluntary role and is currently being piloted in only two countries with plans to expand further. Learn more about the role of a Global Alumni Ambassador.

Three easy ways to volunteer

Low commitment and big impact activities are often remote, require one to two hours of your time and do not need much preparation. They are a great way for you to get a taste of volunteering with us and share advice with students:

Provide a faculty profile or blog

• Write an alumni profile or a blog to feature on the University of Leeds website and social media pages.
• Chosen profiles offer valuable insights into various industries, along with expert tips for career advancement.
• This is a remote volunteering opportunity open to individuals worldwide.
• For more information about contributing a blog or profile, please email the Alumni and Supporter Volunteering team alumnivolunteers@leeds.ac.uk.

Provide Words of Wisdom

• Our Words of Wisdom group offers an opportunity for alumni to share valuable advice and guidance with recent graduates from the University.
• Submit your “Words of Wisdom” via our form. Your contributions may feature on LinkedIn, newsletters and webpages. You'll also receive updates on upcoming networking events and alumni opportunities.

Take part in cultural celebration events

• Participate in a wide variety of cultural celebrations across the University with fellow alumni and current students.
• Events take place across the academic year both online and in-person. These celebrations foster a sense of community among alumni and students, and provide opportunities to share cultural experiences and perspectives.
• Keep an eye on our social media pages to learn more about upcoming celebration events. Alternatively, email the Alumni and Supporter Volunteering team at alumnivolunteers@leeds.ac.uk for more information on upcoming events.

Careers talks and workshops

Talks, workshops, networking events and career days allow volunteers to make a significant impact on students’ career development.

From insights into specific subjects, industries, skills, or life in Leeds, to helping translate academic learning into practice, there are many different options available:

Give an alumni career talk

• Career talk opportunities are available in person or remotely.
• Share insight into your career or industry, provide an overview for how your skills and experiences have helped you through your career and answer any questions students might have.
• All backgrounds and career pathways are welcome.
• To express interest in taking part in career talks, fill out our online registration form.

Give an alumni skills talk

• Alumni skills talks opportunities are available in person or remotely.
• Give non-subject specific talks and workshops to students across the University. These events focus upon soft skills development, CV writing and research skills.
• Share advice relating to personal development. Provide tips and tricks to make the student transition to the workplace easier.
• To express interest in taking part in skills talks, fill out our online registration form.

Attend a faculty career day and mixer event

• Faculty-hosted career days give students the opportunity to network and make connections with alumni and supporters in their chosen industry.
• Share your wider wisdom and experiences regarding skill development, CV writing, interview preparation, and global opportunities.
• To express interest in taking part in faculty career days and mixer events, fill out our online registration form.
• Alternatively, you may be interested in attending the University-wide career fairs, which take place each term.

Inspire prospective students

Volunteers can help the University to support learners from all backgrounds on their journey into higher education.

There are two options for volunteers hoping to inspire prospective students:

Subject specific outreach

• Take part in interactive visits, demonstrations both in schools and on-campus, talks, or hands-on workshops.
• You’ll give young learners the opportunity to explore and get enthused about subject areas across the arts, health sciences, social sciences and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Whether it’s delving deeper into a familiar topic or embarking on something new, we strive to engage young learners in meaningful ways.
• Explore the range of opportunities on our dedicated webpages:
• Arts outreach
• Health sciences outreach
• Social sciences outreach
• STEM outreach

Academic support volunteering at IntoUniversity

• IntoUniversity is a charitable organisation which works closely with the University to motivate and support young learners from Britain’s least privileged neighbourhoods to achieve. IntoUniversity volunteers are inspirational role models for young learners. Volunteers can:
• Support with academic studies.
• Provide developmental guidance through mentoring opportunities.

Read more about how to apply to give volunteering academic support or how to apply to give mentoring support with IntoUniversity.