Student Volunteering Week

Keep an eye on your University email inbox for our Student Volunteering Week thank you e-cards! These have been sent to all volunteers and Step Up and Lead role holders, to thank you for your efforts this past year.

Calling all students from the School of Social Sciences (SoSS) and the School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED)! 

Do you enjoy arts and crafts, and making a difference, or do you just want to have a relaxing and creative Monday afternoon?

Join our volunteering session for SoSS and SEED students to write letters for Post Pals, a charity dedicated to making seriously ill children and their siblings (aged 3 to 17) smile.

This is a drop-in event and is taking place on Monday, 9 February from 12 noon to 2pm in the Arthur Lewis Common Room (ground floor).

This Post Pals session will be a a fun, creative volunteering opportunity that requires minimal skills. So as long as you have some time to spend colouring and drawing then you'll be able to help.  

What to bring

• Coloured pens and craft materials will be provided, so there’s no need to bring anything!
• As Post Pals permits gifts, feel free to bring any other creations to post to children along with the crafts you’ll make on the day.

Why take part? 

• Aside from helping to spread a smile to those most in need, you can also record the time you spend volunteering during this event as part of your Stellify Award progress.
• The Stellify Award is a unique University of Manchester award supporting your personal development and graduate outcomes alongside your studies.
• By completing and logging your activities, all those eligible will receive a certificate at graduation and your Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) will be updated to formally recognise your extra-curricular achievements.

If you have any questions about this event, please email us at soss.hub@manchester.ac.uk.

Join us for a relaxed and creative volunteering session making cards and letters for children supported by Post Pals, a charity that delivers fun and emotional support to seriously ill children and their siblings aged three to 17.

This is a joyful, low-pressure activity requiring no specific skills - just a willingness to spend time colouring, drawing and writing cards or letters.

The session will run from 10am–12pm (noon) in University Place, Room 4.205. All materials will be provided, though you’re welcome to bring your own craft supplies. Come along and spread some love this Voluntine's!

Sorry, this event is now full

The Stellify Award is a unique University of Manchester award supporting your personal development and graduate outcomes alongside your studies.

Come along to find out more or check your progress on the award with our staff at this drop in at the Students' Union ground floor foyer.

Find out how volunteering can help you secure your ideal job when you graduate from University.

Come along to meet staff from the Volunteering and Awards Team who will be available to answer any questions you may have. 

Did you know you can get involved with international volunteering projects from the comfort of campus? Our Community Mapping sessions are a great way to make an impact overseas without leaving Manchester.

The aim is to create maps of previously un-mapped areas of the world, in order to facilitate responses to humanitarian crises. These free maps have been used for all sorts of humanitarian purposes, including the installation of internet connections, medical programmes and the creation of new water supplies across the region.

So come join us on Tuesday 10 February 1pm-3pm in Room 5.205, University Place for a fun Community Mapping session. Please bring a laptop!

Sign up here

Are you part of the School of Arts, Languages and Culture (SALC) and looking for a small way to take part in some fun, relaxing volunteering?

Your School’s Student Support Hub is holding a Post Pals session for you! Join us on Tuesday 10 February from 1pm - 3pm in the SALC Student Support Hub, lower ground floor (next to Lime Café), South Wing, Samuel Alexander Building.

Come along to craft cards or letters and write your own cheerful messages to help brighten the days of ill children and their siblings.

Sign up here

Big Volunteer Day is back for Student Volunteering Week 2026!

Join us for Big Volunteer Day at either Whitworth Park, Platt Fields Park or Sackville Gardens to help improve these neighbourhood parks for residents, students and wildlife.

You can join us at any of the parks from 10am. The events at Platt Fields Park and Whitworth Park will finish at 3pm. The event at Sackville Gardens will finish at 12:00noon.

#PickYourPark

You can sign up to volunteer in Fallowfield via the Platt Fields Park Big Volunteer Day advert. 

You can sign up to help out at Whitworth Park on Volunteer Hub via the Whitworth Park Big Volunteer Day advert. Sorry, the Whitworth Park event is now full.

You can also volunteer very close to campus and the city centre via the Sackville Gardens Big Volunteer Day advert on Volunteer Hub. Sorry, the Sackville Gardens event is now full.

Join us for an info session with Unbound Programme CIC, which works to raise awareness of modern slavery and support survivors through survivor-centred programmes.
 
This session will include a short presentation introducing what modern slavery is and the work Unbound Programme CIC does to address it. You’ll also learn about ways to get involved with the charity, including current volunteering opportunities. There will be a chance to ask questions at the end.
 
This is a great opportunity to learn more, explore how you can get involved with a local cause, and begin making a real difference.

Join us Thursday 12 February from 10am – 11am, in Room 3.210, University Place. No need to sign up in advance.

Let’s spread some love and brighten someone’s day with a heartfelt letter! 💌 Whether you're looking to make a new friend or simply share words of encouragement, our Letters for Loneliness event is the perfect way to connect with fellow students and members of the wider community. Don’t miss out on this meaningful opportunity to make a real difference.

Join us in spreading kindness, one letter at a time.

Sign up here

You can also find out more about Manchester 10/10 here and the charity we are volunteering with, Give a few words, here.

Are you interested volunteering abroad this summer? Whether you jet off with one of our Trusted Partners or become a Team Rwanda 2026 Team Member, we have the opportunity for you. Come and meet some of our international volunteering organisations on the ground floor of University Place from 1.30pm - 4.30pm on Thursday 12 February.

Literacy Pirates’ vision is for every child to have the literacy skills, confidence and perseverance to succeed at school and beyond.

Are you looking to develop transferable skills and gain experience working with young people?

Well, look no further! Join Literacy Pirates at this event to find out more about the charity's work, learn how you can get involved and meet some of the team.

Literacy Pirates are always looking out for incredible Volunteer Crewmates to support its Young Pirates in its Hackney and virtual ships. Don't miss the chance to be involved in exciting projects such as helping the charity's Young Pirates become movie stars and published authors!

If you are interested in making a positive contribution to society by helping young people to develop their literacy, confidence and perseverance, then please come along. To volunteer you must be at least 16, have functional English skills and be enthusiastic - no prior experience necessary.

So hop aboard and join Literacy Pirates on this adventure by signing up to the information session on Thursday 12 February from 4.30pm to 5pm.

Every year the Students' Union holds a demonstration that brings hundreds of students and members of the public together in solidarity with survivors of gender-based violence. This event is only made possible by volunteer stewards, who keep the crowd safe, together, and ensure accessing the march is possible for everyone.

The march will gather from 6:30pm at the back of University of Manchester Students’ Union.

You can find out more about Reclaim the Night here. 

If you'd like to volunteer, then apply here

Interested in volunteering projects but don't know where to start? Come to meet some of our Students' Union volunteering groups on the ground floor of the Students' Union to find out how you can get involved. 

This great event is taking place on the ground floor of the Students' Union on Friday 13 February from 10am to 2pm. 

Medlock Primary School in Ardwick (about a 10 minute walk from campus) is seeking enthusiastic student volunteers to deliver short, engaging talks to primary pupils about Lunar New Year. These talks will explore the Lunar New Year traditions, meanings, and celebrations around the world.

Volunteers can share personal experiences, cultural traditions, and customs such as food, festivals, and family gatherings, helping to inspire in the primary school children curiosity and promote cultural understanding.

This opportunity offers valuable experience in public speaking and working with children and young people, while supporting inclusivity and global awareness.

To find out more and apply, go to Volunteer Hub here. 

Sorry, this event is now full

Join us to volunteer at Birchfields Primary School in Fallowfield to tidy up the garden area for the children, and cut back overgrown plants. 

This fun event is taking place on Friday 13 February from 11am to 2pm. 

For more details and to apply, go to Volunteer Hub here.

Help keep the Whitworth Park clean at this School of Social Sciences (SoSS) volunteering event.

The drop-in volunteer session will involve picking up bits of litter as we walk through the park.

This is a great way to take a break in an active way whilst supporting your local community.

We will be setting off SoSS Student Support Hub at 12 noon (Friday 13 February), with the event taking place until 2pm on the day.

Please wear a waterproof coat in case it rains and comfortable shoes which you wouldn’t mind getting muddy.

If you've enjoyed volunteering in the community during Student Volunteering Week, register for your free ticket to the next Ladybarn Neighbourhood Curry Night.

Register for your free tickets here. 

Join us for evening of getting to know your neighbours, finding out about local groups and activities to get involved with in the Ladybarn neighbourhood, and delicious vegetarian curry from the legendary Sanskruti! This free event is for students and non-students that live locally to Ladybarn, and is taking place at Ladybarn Community Hub on Royle Street, M14 6RN from 5pm -7pm. 

The Ladybarn Neighbourhood Curry Night is organised by Manchester Student Homes, the free university housing service for students. They provide advice and support for students looking for and living in private accommodation.