Give It A GO – Introductory Volunteering Sessions for Students at GCU
Glasgow Caledonian University Students’ Association are running a programme called ‘Give It a GO’. The Students’ Association will be delivering a series of introductory activities with external charities and organisations to provide the opportunity for students to ‘Give It a Go’.
The programme will run in two blocks, the first for 7 weeks from 13th Nov to 15th Dec 2023 and the second for 10 weeks from 29th Jan to 15th Mar 2024. Due to timetables of students the activities will be better attended if they delivered in the evenings on weekdays.
The aim of this programme is to get GCU students to try an activity with a local community group (e.g. charity, non-profit organisation or local club/group).
We want to bring GCU students together to build strong relationships in and across communities. We believe participation in the ‘Give It a Go’ programme will result in students feeling less isolated and develop a sense of belonging at Glasgow Caledonian University, and therefore improved student mental health and wellbeing.
Through this programme, your organisation has the opportunity to host an introductory activity to gain students interest and recruit them as volunteers or users of your service.
This scheme could benefit your charity by giving you an audience of young people that could potentially volunteer for you beyond the event. To get involved in promoting in volunteering opportunities you must come up with a fun interactive activity, related to what your organisation does, that students will want to attend.
If you are promoting your services you can run a taster session.
This activity can be delivered in a space in the university, Students’ Association, at your organisation or at a suitable location, transport can be provided for the students. Activity capacity is up to your organisation, we are currently running events with capacities from 15 to 50.
Some examples of past ‘Give It a Go’ events include:
- Mind & Draw, a local community arts project, are running a creative drawing session through which, they will describe the services they provide and give information to students on starting their own arts club.
- RSPB hosted students at a nature reserve where students explored and birdwatched whilst pointing out what is maintained by volunteers and information was given about how to sign up.
- Guide Dogs, a charity providing support for visually impaired people brought in visually impaired people and their guide dogs to chat to the owners about their experience and pet the dogs. The students also took part in blind simulation activities and were informed of volunteering opportunities through which the charity did get sign ups.
The GCU Students’ Association will support you by promoting to students, university-wide, and targeting the societies and courses most relevant to the experience. Costs and expenses can be negotiated.
Contact Holly for more information holly.hunter@gcustudents.co.uk
This programme is funded by the National lottery community fund
