Throughout the year the VSU organises a range of one-off events - so even if you can’t make a regular commitment, there’s still a chance to get involved. To receive a regular weekly update of our latest vacancies, sign up for our newsletter.
All students who participate in a one-off event will be reimbursed for travel expenses and receive a certificate of recognition from the Volunteering Services Unit.
Please note that our volunteering vacancies are only open to UCL staff and students.
Open City Docs Fest- Audience Development Volunteers
The Open City Docs Fest film festival takes place between 20th- 23rd June and celebrates the best of documentary film making in the heart of London. We urgently need enthusiastic people to join our volunteer Audience Development team to play a key role in marketing the festival. It’s a flexible role, starting as soon as possible and lasting just over 3 months until the end of the 4-day festival. We’re also looking for a super-organised team leader to help us manage and navigate the Audience Development team this year, so please let us know if that sounds like you!
Role: Audience Development Volunteers
When: ASAP – 23rd June (A few hours each week from now until late April, more hours in May and June)
WC1 or from home
Contact: Oliver Peachey, oliver.peachey@ucl.ac.uk
Wednesday 24th April - Saturday 1st June
DOCinaDAY
DOCinaDAY brings documentary filmmaking to community centres, schools and youth clubs.
Would you like to assist a professional filmmaker in the tuition of a course taking place over 1 to 3 days? Films will be uploaded onto mystreetfilms.com and shown at the Open City Documentary Festival 2013.Training is provided. DBS (CRB) certificate would be preferred but not essential.
Role: Filmmaking Assistant
Camden Borough & Haringey Borough
Contact: Julian Triandafyllou – julian@mystreetfilms.com
Tuesday 7th - Friday 17th May
UCL Festival of the Arts
The inaugural UCL Festival of the Arts is a range of free events, from bite-size lectures, readings and exhibitions, to poetry, panel discussions, film screenings and debate. We need volunteers to assist in directing attendees to events, managing registration and answering queries.
Role: UCL Festival of Arts Steward
Time: 12pm – 2.30pm or 5.30pm – 7.30pm
UCL Main Campus Gower Street
Contact: Felicity Stafford, f.stafford@ucl.ac.uk
Saturday 18th May
Camden Sport & Physical Activity Team – Give it a Go! Active For All Day
Fancy helping young people with disabilities enjoy a fun day of sports and activities?
Here’s your chance to get involved in a day of Gymnastics, Basketball, Table Tennis, Drumming, Dance, Arts & Crafts and Soft-play – specially created to provide young people with disabilities the opportunity to try new sports and fun activities. We really need your help in all areas of the event – so don’t worry if you’re not sporty! We need help with reception, refreshments, making sure people know where to go, as well as all the sports and music activities!
The kind of support we need on the day will be:
- Supporting the delivery of the various activities (briefings will be given by activity leaders) – basketball, table tennis, gymnastics, football, drumming, arts and crafts.
- Marshalling/signposting.
- Helping at the registration desk when children and their families arrive.
- Giving out medals and certificates to children when the leave the event.
- Serving free drinks to children and their families
You will get to do most of the above roles if you wish to but if you would prefer to stick to one area throughout the day you can.
Role: Give it a Go! Active for a Day Volunteer
Time: 10am – 4pm, there will be a rota for the day allowing volunteers to do several roles or stick to one
Talacre Community Sports Centre, Dalby St, Kentish Town, NW5
Contact: Sanchia Legister, Sanchia.legister@camden.gov.uk
Saturday 18th May
British Red Cross Red Shoe Walk 2013
On Saturday 18 May 2013, approximately 120 walkers will be crossing 12 of London’s most iconic bridges, starting next to Tower Bridge in Trinity Square Gardens and finishing in Battersea Park. It will be a fun day for everyone involved when a sea of red and samba music descends upon the capital. We are looking for volunteers to help out with marshalling the route and meeting and greeting our walkers at the start and finishing point of the walk. We will also need volunteers to help at Victoria Tower Gardens where our walkers will have a well-earned lunch break.
Role: Red Shoe Walk 2013 Volunteer
Time: 9.30am – 5pm
Trinity Square Gardens EC3N 4DH
Contact: Mel Packer, mpacker@redcross.org.uk, 020 7877 7951
**Please note the deadline for this role is Wednesday 15th May**
Saturday 18th, Sunday 19th & Monday 27th May
Prostate Cancer UK Football Match Fundraisers
Prostate Cancer UK is the Official Charity Partner of the Football League for the 2012/13 season, and it has been a fantastic year. We’ve held fundraising collections at over 50 Football League stadiums across the country, with over 600 volunteers signing up to take part.
We have three more big collections taking place at Wembley Stadium in May at the Football League Playoff Finals.
We’re looking for volunteers to spare up to three hours to take part in a bucket collection outside Wembley stadium as fans arrives to cheer their team on League 2, League 1 and Championship Playoff Finals.
Please note that volunteers who help out on Saturday 18th May will be offered a FREE match ticket to watch the League 2 Playoff Final. Tickets are very limited, and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis
Role: Happy Football Fundraiser
Time: 12pm – 2.45pm
Wembley Stadium
Contact: Angela, angela.wang1110@gmail.com - to sign up, please visit our website - http://prostatecanceruk.org/football-volunteer
Sunday 19th May
Avenue House - Gardening Working Party
The Avenue House Estate Trust is a charity that manages a historic Victorian mansion and its associated ten acres of gardens as a free public park. Volunteers are wanted to help clear brambles and sycamore seedlings and other gardening duties.
Role: Gardening Volunteer. Clearing brambles and sycamore seedlings, weeding etc.
Avenue House, Finchley Central
Contact: Hilary Jarvis, volunteering@friendsofavenuehouse.org or phone 020 8349 3854 (evenings)
**This event is repeated on the 3rd Sunday of every month. Upcoming dates include 16th June**
Monday 20th May
Green UCL Training Sessions
UCL’s Environmental Sustainability (Green UCL) develops and maintains strategic direction and support for UCL’s environmental sustainability initiatives. The team will be running a series of training sessions, each one covering a different topic, the first being Energy and Carbon. For each session we would like one volunteer to help with its running. The volunteer would need to arrive fifteen minutes before the start, make sure that the presenter has everything they need, show people into the room and tick their names off the list. After the presentation they will help the presenter pack away their things for around five minutes. If you’d rather not volunteer this time feel free to register to attend the session.
Role: UCL’s Environmental Sustainability Training Session Volunteer
Time: 1pm - 2pm
Construction, Gordon House 106
Contact: greenucl@ucl.ac.uk
**This event is repeated monthly for 3 months. Upcoming dates, locations and topics include: May 20th 1-2pm: June 24th 1-2pm: Resources, SSEES, 16 Taviton Street, room 432; July 29th 1-2pm: Environmental Sustainability Management Systems, Chadwick Building, room G08**
Tuesday 21st May
Missing People ‘Search Day’
Missing People has historically operated from a single central office, but we are now enlisting the help of regional volunteers to co-ordinate the search in the local area and to raise awareness of the crisis services Missing People provide. We want you to use your own networks, communities and friends to help us support people that are missing in your area and their families who are left behind. Volunteers will engage with members of the public encouraging them to join the search by signing up to our campaign and visit local organisations and businesses and encouraging them to become Search Partners.
Role: ‘Search Day’ Volunteer
BHS Kingston
Contact: Beth Knebel, beth.knebel@missingpeople.org.uk, 07595200646
Wednesday 22nd May (Deadline)
Greenwich+Docklands International Festival 2013
Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF) is London’s leading Festival of free outdoor performing arts, including theatre, dance, and street arts.GDIF is looking for enthusiastic and friendly volunteers to act as ambassadors at the Festival, helping audiences orientate themselves around the exciting range of performances and ensuring that the Festival is accessible to all.
Role: Festival Ambassador Volunteer
When: Friday 21st – 29th June
The Festival takes place outdoors over a variety of sites in Greenwich and Isle of Dogs
Contact: Aisha Amarfio, volunteer@festival.org. To register your interest please complete our registration form here:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GDIF2013Volunteer_Registration
**Please note the deadline is Wednesday 22nd May **
Wednesday 22nd & Monday 27th May
GoodGym Camden Group Run
Do good and get fit with GoodGym Camden. GoodGym Group runs get you fit by doing good for local community organisations: run and dig a sandpit for a school, clear derelict land or shift soil for a community organisation. Just turn up and join in.
Role: GoodGym Camden Runner – run and volunteer!
Time: 7pm – 8.30pm
Somers Town Community Centre
Contact: Shaun Dixon, Camden@goodgym.org, 0203 432 3920
Friday 24th May
VSU Mandarin Language and Culture Day at UCL
Mandarin Language and Culture Day at UCL
If you speak Mandarin and like working with children we have an exciting opportunity for you. A class of children between 6 and 7 years old will be coming to UCL to participate in a series of creative, fun activities involving different languages and cultures. The sessions will include anything from food tasting, national dress, music and dance as well as language activities. We would like students to help with the planning, preparation and the running of small group activities. We have already established a Spanish and Italian group but we need more students to help with the Mandarin group.
We will be having a briefing session on Friday, 17th May from 12-1pm at the VSU where you can come and learn about what is involved, meet the other people in your group and start planning your activities. This is a great opportunity for you to share a part of your culture and language with some enthusiastic children.
Role: Mandarin Language and Cultural Day Volunteer
Time: 9am – 12pm
UCL
Contact: Fiona, f.addison@ucl.ac.uk
For more Informationplease visit: https://uclu.org/services/volunteering-services-unit/one-volunteering-programme#VSULCD
Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th May
Macmillan Cancer Support London to Brighton Hike 2013
Macmillan Cancer Support helps improve the lives of people affected by cancer by offering practical, emotional and financial support. We’re looking for a team of enthusiastic cheerers to encourage, motivate and support all our Macmillan walkers and runners taking part in the London to Brighton Hike.
Role: Macmillan Cancer Support London to Brighton Hike Supporters 2013
25KM mark at Oak Park, Banstead and the half way (50KM) point at Felbridge Tennis Club, near East Grinstead
Contact: Katie Prutton, ljordan@macmillan.org.uk, 0207 840 4812
Tuesday 28th & Wednesday 29th May
Hackney Pirates- Relocation Assistants
The Hackney Pirates is an enterprising charity that aims to develop the literacy, creativity and real-world skills of young people in Hackney, so that they achieve both in school and in the world beyond. We are moving offices and are looking for volunteers to help us to make our new home as weird, wacky and unconventional as our current one. Think you can help?
Role: Movers, Shakers and Decorators
Time: 12pm - 6pm (you don’t have to commit to all 6 hours)
Downham Road, Hackney, N1 5AA
Contact: Olly, olly@hackneypirates.org, 07912 178 037
Wednesday 29th May
St Pancras Community Association- Gardening Event
Come and help local older people for an afternoon. We will be visiting older people’s houses and gardens, carrying out practical chores including window cleaning and gardening, for people who find it difficult to manage it themselves. You will be part of a small group of volunteers and will visit 3 or 4 houses during the afternoon. Wear your old clothes and prepare to get your hands dirty!
Role: St Pancras Community Association Gardening Assistant
Time: From 2pm
Meet at St. Pancras Community Centre, 30 Camden St, NW1 0LG
Contact: Alice Newsholme , Spca.gns@gmail.com 02073834829
Wednesday 29th & Thursday 30th May
Ragged School Museum Half Term Volunteer
Join us at the Ragged School Museum for a May half term full of gluing, cutting, sticking, pasting and other Blue Peter-inspired fun! We’re looking for volunteers to help out with our popular School Holiday programme, working with families from all over London. It’s great fun and a perfect opportunity for someone wanting to gain experience in working with children or in heritage. Any commitment, from two hours to two full days, is much appreciated.
Role: Half Term Volunteer
Time: 10am – 5pm
Ragged School Museum, Mile End
Contact: Chris Bennion, chris@raggedschoolmuseum.org.uk, 0208 980 6405
**Please note the deadline for application is 12pm on Friday 24th May**
Saturday 1st June
Sparks Hop Farm Music Festival
We are looking for 4 willing volunteers to spend time at the Hop Farm Mirror Fest in aid of Sparks! You will be manning the Sparks stall selling yummy cakes donated by Pink Rose Cakes and bucket collecting. Volunteers will be able to camp and enjoy the festivities when they are not on duty. It will be a unique experience with loads to do and see, for example, the best tribute rock banks in the country, Motorbike shows and extreme animal encounters. The festival runs from Friday 31 May to Sun 2 June you will be required to be on duty Saturday and Sunday.
Role: Sparks Hop Farm Music Festival Volunteer
Time: Saturday 10am – 6pm and Sunday 10am – 2pm
Tonbridge Kent
Contact: Ann Bedford, ann@sparks.org.uk, 020 7901 7751
Saturday 1st June
MS Society Collection Fundraisers
Around 100,000 people in the UK have MS. It affects two million more.We offer hope for the future by investing millions in research, and help for today through our information, support and campaigning. The MS Society have exclusive rights to hold street collections throughout London on Saturday 1st June, and are looking for volunteers to help shake a bucket around Gower Street.
Role: Fundraiser
Time: 10am – 6pm for as much of the day as possible. A rota schedule for collectors would be ideal to ensure there are x 2 collectors at any one period.
Gower Street or nearby
Contact: Helen Dowdeswell, 07795 801650, hdowdeswell@mssociety.org.uk
Monday 3rd - Friday 7th June
St John’s Hospice Summer Fayre PR campaign
St John’s Hospice provides expert care and support to people living with a long term illness in London. We need volunteers to help us promote the St John’s Hospice Summer Fayre, which takes place on Saturday 8th June. Volunteers will be helping to distribute flyers around St John’s Wood and the surrounding area, including Camden, Swiss Cottage, Hampstead and Maida Vale. In some cases fancy dress will be encouraged.
Role: St John’s Hospice PR Campaign Volunteer
Time: Various times in the afternoon
Various locations around London
Contact: Katherine France, Katherine.France@hje.org.uk, 020 7806 4091
Saturday 8th June
St John’s Hospice Summer Fayre
Each year we hold a Summer Fayre to raise money and awareness for what we do here, and we are hoping that UCL volunteers will get involved and help out. Tasks include stall supervision, ride supervision, set up, and take down, raffle management, arts and crafts facilitation and stage liaison. It’s am exciting day and a great way to get involved and have some fun at the same time!
Role: St John’s Hospice Summer Fayre Volunteer
Time: 10.30am – 1pm, 1pm – 4pm and 4pm to 6.30pm.
St Johns Wood Church Gardens, St John’s Wood High Street, NW8 7NE
Contact: Katherine France, Katherine.France@hje.org.uk, 020 7806 4091
Friday 21st June
Refugee Therapy Centre Open Day
Refugee Therapy Centre are holding their Annual Open Day and are looking for dynamic and enthusiastic volunteers to help set up possibly the day before as well as on the day, and to help with the preparation of food, drinks and the smooth running of the day
Role: Open Day volunteer
Time: 11am – 4pm
Refugee Therapy Centre, 1A Leeds Place, Tollington Park, London, N4 3RF
Contact: Natalie Yeong, natalie@refugeetherapy.org.uk, 0207 561 1587
**If you are interested, please go to our website, print out and fill in our volunteer application form. Send this to us by post along with your CV and a covering letter. Thank you.**
Monday 1st - Sunday 7th July
Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2013
We are looking for a volunteer to work with the Web content manager to plan, schedule and produce interesting and original content for the exhibition website, liaise with staff regarding access to speakers, interview speakers and exhibitors, create and edit text, audio and video content from around the Exhibition. Volunteers will need to have good teamwork skills, initiative and the stamina to work long hours.
Role: Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition Digital team – Producer and Content creator roles
The Royal Society, 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AG
Contact: Emily Roberts, exhibition@royalsociety.org
March - July 2013
British Red Cross, Dance: Make Your Move
The Dance: Make Your Move team is looking for volunteers who can help us both in planning the events and at the events.
Roles: Stage manager; MC; Stagehand and backstage co-ordinators; Meet and greet; Judge Liaison volunteer; Front-of-House Manager; First Aider
When: Events will take place between March and July 2013. Final event will be held at O2 in london
Contact: dancemakeyourmove@redcross.org.uk
Stage manager
You will lead the backstage team. Knowledge of stage management is preferable and training can be provided. This is an ideal opportunity for people who are studying or have a passion for drama and theatre arts or events management and want to gain more professional experience.
Your role will include:
> directing the technician
> co-ordinating the backstage team
> ensuring the overall continuity of the show
> co-ordinating the dancers and the MC on and off the stage
> co-ordinating the technical rehearsal and the evening performance.
MC
You will be the face of Dance: Make Your Move. You will be responsible for engaging the audience throughout the show. If you love public speaking and entertaining a large audience this position is ideal. Training can be provided.
Your role will include:
> co-ordinating the raffle on stage
> introducing the dance groups on and off stage
> announcing the winners and co-ordinating awards and judges.
> transmitting excitement and passion about the Dance: Make Your Move event
> communicating with the stage manager to ensure the overall continuity of the show
> delivering key Red Cross messages and educating the audience on the work of the organisation (you will be given this material).
Stagehand and backstage co-ordinators
In these roles you will help the dancers to get on and off stage at the correct time. They are ideal if you love working with young people. A Criminal Records Bureau check will be required.
Meet and greet
You will be the person to meet and greet the dancers and teachers at the stage door. You will be in charge of showing people to their changing areas and allocating ID wristbands to the groups’ chaperones. Once the judges arrive you will then be looking after them with refreshments and be the link between the stage manager and the judges.
Judge liaison volunteer
You will be the contact point between the judges and the backstage team. You will meet the judges and brief them on the evening, ensuring they are comfortable with the judging criteria. You will escort judges to and from the auditorium, scribe certificates and make sure the results sheet is complete and returned to the MC to read the results. You must also fill out any fundraising awards on the results sheet prior to the start of the event. These can be obtained from the front-of-house manager.
Front-of-house manager
You will oversee and co-ordinate the front-of-house staff and collect all the front-of-house money throughout the evening. You will also be responsible for arranging any fundraising awards.
First aid
Every Dance: Make Your Move event requires first aid cover from 3pm to 10pm. Please contact your local service co-ordinator to volunteer to cover this event.
Other front-of-house volunteering opportunities available include:
> box office – selling and distributing tickets
> ticket master – checking the tickets on the door
> ushers – helping people to their seats inside the auditorium
> brochure and raffle sales – encouraging the audience to buy merchandise on the evening
> refreshments – selling and serving refreshments before the show and during the interval.
The Dance: Make Your Move team will aim to give all front-of-house volunteers a seat at the show, free of charge.
Wilton’s Music Hall - Front of House
It is enormously helpful for the Shop/Box Office/Foyer Counter to be staffed each evening - representing Wilton’s, giving information to visitors (history/what’s happening/directions etc) and keeping a general eye on things in the Foyer.
When: 6 or 7pm - 10 or 11pm Mondays to Saturdays
Wilton’s Music Hall, Graces Alley, London, E1 8JB
Contact: Jon Freeman, frontofhouse@wiltons.org.uk, 020 7702 9555
Avenue House
Lodge House Surveyor
Avenue House is a historic Victorian mansion with ten acres of garden, maintained as a free public park. In addition to the main house, the grounds contain a Lodge House, which the Trust is converting into accommodation for an employee.
In order to obtain planning permission for the conversion, we urgently need a drawing of the building, showing the room layout, the walls and key features such as toilets. The survey should take a day to carry out, and a day to draw up. It would be an ideal project for an architectural or engineering student.
Portico Painting
In 2011 the Trust re-rendered the front portico of the house but unfortunately could not repaint it. We are looking for a small team of volunteers to get stuck in for a day, to restore the portico wall to its former glory.
Dates and times for both roles to be arranged with the volunteers
Avenue House, Finchley Central
Contact: Glenn Rooke, estate@avenuehouse.org.uk