Staff volunteering
Volunteering Policy
The University has a 'Public Duties and Volunteering' Policy which grants each member of staff one day's paid leave per year to undertake volunteering. Staff must clear their absence with their manager.
Volunteer days taken on a non-working day, such as the weekend, will accrue a day in lieu subject to the agreement of the line manager.
Why volunteer?
When University staff take part in collaborative projects with local people, their activities underline the University's commitment to reaching out to all sections of the community - particularly ones that have not traditionally been involved with us. Please see the Engaged University Strategy for more details.
There are a wide variety of activities with which you can become involved, from assisting with reading in schools, serving as a trustee of a local community group, physical help with local community projects (such as community gardening, painting and decorating etc), supporting individuals (such as dog walking for those struggling to keep their pets, especially the elderly and people with disabilities)... the list is endless! Volunteering work is very rewarding and for participants there is a great sense of achievement, as well as the chance to meet new people and develop new skills.
How to get involved
- There are opportunities to volunteer within the University. At the Botanic Garden volunteers are needed to help with various activities including gardening work, clerical work, visitor tours and fundraising. The Cabot Institute for the Environment are looking for volunteers to help with their events, including welcoming guests, taking tickets, holding the roaming mic, social media support and support for event coordinators. Contact cabot-coordinator@bristol.ac.uk for more information.
- For details of the wide range of volunteering opportunities available at local and national level to both staff and students, please visit the Bristol SU Volunteering website. Staff can also sign up to a weekly newsletter from Bristol SU to be informed of new volunteering opportunities.
- If you are interested in volunteering as a school governor, you can find out what is involved in the school governor role and how the University can support you and how to apply for a role through SGOSS.
- If you are looking for volunteer work that local organisations seek help with, you can visit the Voscur website (or the facebook group), which includes a list of volunteering vacancies in Bristol. Additionally, do-it.org is a great place to find opportunities in your area.
