Student Volunteering Week 2022
This week is Student Volunteering week and here in the Sustainability service we have a range of volunteering opportunities.
You could join us on our monthly litter picks, help reduce waste by starting a repair cafe at the University, or help to develop our award winning biodiversity monitoring scheme. We also have opportunities for you to develop leadership skills on community projects across the LS6 area and beyond.
Volunteering is a great way of getting valuable experience for your CV, meeting new people and having a positive impact on the environment and your local community. Read on to find out about how to take part in our current volunteering opportunities!
Previous biodiversity volunteer Caitlin Harris is now studying for a Marine Conservation MSc and said “I would highly recommend anyone thinking about applying to do so, as it will help develop crucial employability skills as well as be a fun and enjoyable experience”.
To keep up-to-date with new opportunities you can subscribe to our volunteering newsletter, join our volunteering Facebook page and follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter where we'll share opportunities throughout the year.
Litter picking volunteers
Want to get involved in some direct action cleaning up your neighbourhood? Why not join one of our litter picks in Hyde Park and surrounding areas. This is a great way to meet some new people, whilst improving the environment for both wildlife and your local community. It’s also entirely flexible, with litter picks taking place monthly.
The next litter pick will be 1.30-3pm on Wednesday 9th February. Following the litter pick there will be a chance to socialise with the other volunteers over a hot drink at Coffee on the Crescent.
More information and sign up here.
Biodiversity monitoring volunteers
Want to learn more about monitoring biodiversity on campus and beyond? We are looking for students who are interested in supporting the development of the award-winning Urban Biodiversity Monitoring Programme on the University campus. The work aims to understand how urban landscapes can be used to innovatively find solutions to biodiversity issues and aid decision making for the management of the city campus.
This role will allow you to help the University study, maintain and improve its biodiversity by working with other students and staff to carry out biodiversity monitoring. This is done by observing and recording biodiversity along three transects (routes) that run through campus, as well as through separate monitoring activities that focus on spotting pollinators visiting specific flower types.
Karolina Zarzyczny, a postgraduate researcher in marine ecology and evolution and one of the first biodiversity ambassadors said “Being a biodiversity ambassador allowed me to be directly involved in applying the university’s sustainability strategy to make the campus a more sustainable place”.
LUU Exec Officer Beth Eaton was also a biodiversity ambassador with the Sustainability service, you can read more about her experience here.
To get involved, email biodiversity@leeds.ac.uk.
Repair Café volunteers
Can you work a sewing machine, put broken jewellery back together or have a knack for electronics? We are looking for enthusiastic student volunteers to help us run a repair café at the university.
Repair cafés help to reduce waste and support circular economy principles by fixing items to keep them in use instead of throwing them away.
We’re looking for students with a range of skills who would work with students and the community to help fix items that they bring in. The focus is on sharing your skills rather than simply fixing items for people. Materials will be provided, and of course there is no expectation that everything can be fixed!
The launch event will focus on textiles and will be hosted in the Riley Smith Theatre on Tuesday 22nd March as part of LUU’s Climate Week.
More information and sign up here.
Community Project Leads
Are you passionate about sustainability and in making the Hyde Park community an even greater place to live, work and study? Want to develop and demonstrate your leadership and project management skills? We are looking for three volunteer community project leads to help support projects in three areas:
- Circular economy (repair, reuse and recycling)
- Gardening and planting in the community
- Community clean up and litter picking
The Sustainability Service will support you throughout to plan the overall project, recruit your own team of volunteers, liaise with key stakeholders and, deliver the project successfully.
More information and application link here.