Make a difference days
Living in the community
Enrich your University experience by making a positive difference to others and develop an abundance of new skills through volunteering. Play an invaluable role through participating in rewarding one-off and short-term volunteering in the local community. There are also unique online opportunities, where you can make an impact nationally and globally.
Make a Difference days are opportunities for students and staff to volunteer, help others and support causes that impact the local community. These one-off and short term activities don’t require ongoing commitment, giving you the opportunity to gain experience and support your personal development, wellbeing and sense of community.
Students Union Awards
The Students’ Union Awards celebrate student-led achievements from this current academic year (2024/25) and nominations are now open!
This is your opportunity to reflect on your experiences and proudly share how you have been making a difference. There are 5 different categories this year and volunteering sits under ‘Community.’ To nominate yourself or another University of Leicester student volunteer, please select the ‘Frank May Cup for Volunteering.’ Learn more about last year’s Frank May Cup for Volunteering winner.
Please ensure that you check the criteria of the awards and eligibility status before submitting any nominations. There is no limit on how many nominations you can submit and the more detailed and descriptive the nomination, the better chance it has of being shortlisted.
You can refer to the nominations handbook to learn more and read the nominations guide for top tips.
The deadline is 31 March 2025 – good luck!
Shama Women’s Centre volunteers
Shama Women’s Centre is a Leicester based charity with a mission to empower women to become more economically, educationally and socially active through a range of activities that develop their confidence, employability skills, health and wellbeing. There are a range of roles available including:
- Events and Administration Volunteer: This will involve working with individuals, partners and external organisations and community groups to plan organise and deliver workshops, events and fundraising activities.
- Marketing and Fundraising Volunteer (social media focus): This role is to support the marketing and fundraising efforts of Shama Women’s Centre. This is an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on experience in marketing and fundraising, while contributing to a cause that positively impacts women’s’ lives.
- Advice and Befriending Volunteer: You will be supporting outreach services that offer advice and guidance to individuals who may be experiencing social isolation, loneliness, or mental health challenges.
To find out more and apply to one of the roles listed, please email volunteer@le.ac.uk by 30 April 2025.
Josephine Butler Society social media volunteer
The Josephine Butler Society, is looking for a volunteer to run their social media account for a long term period. This would be a development opportunity to get involved in third sector communications and demonstrate civic engagement. The society has been active for the past 160 years and it stands for social justice and equality of all citizens.
As a social media volunteer, your main tasks will include:
- To assist in monitoring and reporting on social media, such as audience engagement and other statistical insights
- To assist in the generation of social media content
- Posting events on various platforms and raising the profile of the charity
The role will be completely remote and would ideally require commitment of 2-4 hours per week for a minimum of a 6-month period.
To find out more and apply to one of the roles listed, please email volunteer@le.ac.uk by 30 April 2025.
Somali Development Services volunteer English teacher
The Somali Development Services CIC is a community organisation in Leicester who are dedicated to supporting ethnic minority communities and they are seeking a friendly volunteer English teacher. The organisation provides supplementary classes on Saturdays to ethnic minority children, who are struggling with their education so they are looking for someone who is passionate about helping these students succeed.
To find out more please email volunteer@le.ac.uk by 30 April 2025.
Coppice Allotment volunteer
Come along to the relaunch event of volunteering sessions at the Coppice Allotment in Oadby, on Sunday 16 March at 12.00pm.
The session will start with a student talk about the fun and importance of food growing and sustainable agriculture. Participants can then get involved with planting seeds and helping to clear beds at the allotment. It’s a great opportunity to get hands-on with growing your own food, contribute towards biodiversity and meet like-minded people within the community.
Please sign up via the booking form and meet at the Coppice Allotment which is situated at 1 Manor Road, Oadby LE2 2LG.
The Big Sleep 2025
The University of Leicester, the Students' Union and DMU are once again joining forces with Leicester charity The Bridge, to raise awareness of homelessness and are looking for volunteers who are willing to give up their bed for a night to gain a small insight into the struggles of being homeless. This fundraising event, which has been running since 2018 (with the exception of 2020 and 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic) has raised over £50,000 for The Bridge charity. Will you help us to raise even more money this year?
The Big Sleep will take place on Tuesday 25 March 2025 from 8.00pm - 8.00am at the University of Leicester, on Centenary Square. Complimentary hot drinks and a light breakfast will be provided to volunteers as a thank you. If you’re unable to join us at on campus, you can still participate by spending the night somewhere other than your bed, such as your back garden - you could involve family and friends if you wish! All we ask is that you register for the event and raise a minimum of £5.
Mind Volunteer
Mind is a charity that is dedicated to developing innovative mental health services to support individuals dealing with mental health challenges. If you have an interest in mental health and would like to gain valuable and rewarding experiences whilst helping your local community, why not consider volunteering for Mind, latest opportunities include:
- Peer Support Volunteer
- Events Support Volunteer
- Social Media Volunteer
LOROS Volunteer
Volunteering with LOROS Hospice offers you the chance to make a meaningful impact in your local community while developing valuable skills.
As a Shop Volunteer, you’ll help operate the till, serve customers, sort donations, and keep the shops organised. This role is perfect for gaining retail experience, developing customer service skills, and supporting hospice care.
If you prefer a more social environment, consider joining the LOROS Café (Peppercorns) in Abbey Park or based at the Hospice café on Groby Road. You’ll provide a warm and friendly service, prepare food and drinks, handle cash transactions, and ensure the café remains clean and welcoming.
Alternatively, you can make a difference behind the scenes as a Warehouse Donation Volunteer. In this role, you’ll sort and manage donations, handle Gift Aid, and advise customers with queries. It’s a great way to develop organisational skills and gain practical experience in retail.
If you would like to discuss opportunities, please get in touch with the Team at LOROS via email volunteering@loros.co.uk or phone (0116) 231 3771
Weekly litter picking with Buzzing Roots
Help to revitalize Clarendon Park Gardens by joining a weekly litter pick, organised by a community interest company called Buzzing Roots. Join other friendly locals to make a positive change in small steps. Equipment will be provided and you don’t need to attend every week.
To get involved, meet next to Knighton Library, 165 Clarendon Park Road on Tuesdays from 3.00pm - 4.00pm. There is no need to book, so you can just turn up.
If you’d like to contact Buzzing Roots, you can reach them by email at buzzingroots@gmail.com or phone on 07425867969.
The Climate Ambassadors Scheme
Climate Ambassadors is an initiative funded by the Department for Education to help all education settings make and implement a Climate Action Plan. By supporting nurseries, schools and colleges to build their climate action plans, Climate Ambassadors can help to ensure that young people have access to the learning and skills they will need for their future in the green economy while also helping education settings meet the challenges of a changing climate.
Becoming a Climate Ambassador is a great way to:
- Put your sustainability interest and experience into practical use in your community
- Contribute to your community’s ability to tackle climate risks
- Develop your own climate skills and knowledge
- Inspire the next generation of climate leaders
The Trussell Trust Leicester South Foodbank
Volunteer Warehouse Packer
The Trussell Trust is an anti-poverty charity and community of food banks providing practical support to people who can’t afford the essentials. The Trussell Trust’s vision is to end the need for food banks.
Acting as the link between food donations coming in and reaching those in crisis, as a Warehouse Packer, you’ll support the smooth running of your local food bank. You’ll be part of a team sorting and packing food in the warehouse.
Time for Trussell Volunteer
- Can you create great social media content?
- Do you want to make a positive impact?
Time for Trussell volunteers help raise awareness of the work that the Trussell Trust do, using social media.
By sharing our social media messages, you can help the Trussell Trust campaign for change and build a consensus among the public to ensure that everyone can afford the essentials.
If you have good online communication skills and working knowledge of at least one social media platform, you could help us raise awareness and call for change.
IntoUniversity volunteer mentors and academic support tutors
IntoUniversity is a nationwide educational charity that supports under represented young people with their educational journeys. From their learning centres, they run after-school academic support sessions and mentoring.
How can you help?
Volunteer mentors and academic support tutors are needed to help make a real difference as positive role models in the lives of the young people who need that additional help. The roles would be great for anyone who has an enthusiasm for education, strong interpersonal skills and the ability to use their initiative.
Students Union Volunteering Hub
The University of Leicester Students Union also work with a range of voluntary organisations and charities who opportunities that you can sign up to now. You can also record your volunteering hours through the Students Union online portal called the Volunteering Hub.
Visit the Volunteering Hub to view the latest volunteering roles.
Virtual and micro-volunteering
Micro-volunteering enables you to offer your time in small chunks. You can manage how often you take part in micro-volunteering activities and can fit them flexibly around other commitments. Roles are mainly virtual and can be done using a lap top or phone. Examples of micro-volunteering and online roles include:
Warning Zone
Educational tour volunteers needed for Warning Zone.
As a life skills centre for children aged 10-11 years who visit them on a school trip, Warning Zone relies on the generosity of volunteers to guide small groups of children around their interactive life skills centre. They educate the children on how to keep themselves safe both online and offline, helping them to recognise hazards, assess risk, avoid consequences and navigate the many different aspects of growing up that they might face such as peer pressure and coercion. Their interactive safety centre has life-like zones covering areas such as fire safety in the home, building sites, water safety, arson, road safety, railways, alcohol, knife crime, grooming, cyber-bullying, posting photos online and so much more.
To sign up, please email volunteer@warningzone.org.uk or call +44 (0)116 262 9739.
CoachBright online volunteer
CoachBright are a social mobility charity that exists to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds become more independent and resilient so they can lead the lives they want. Volunteers work with pupils in schools to build confidence through academic coaching.
St John Ambulance
Volunteering with St John Ambulance is a fantastic way to enhance your CV, meet new people, and learn lifesaving skills. Most volunteering opportunities are community based and full training is given after you have been accepted to do your chosen role.
View the range of roles available and apply
Barclays Digital Champions
The Barclays Digital Champion programme provides a way to build and develop digital skills within organisations and communities, helping people get the most out of technology to thrive in the digital world.
You don’t need to be a digital expert to become a Digital Champion but you do need a passion for helping others. We’ll give you all the training, resources and support you need.
To become a Digital Champion you’ll join three 90 minute virtual sessions hosted by Barclays Digital Eagles where you’ll meet like-minded people who want to become Digital Champions too.
Age UK day care passenger assistant volunteer
To volunteer with Age UK, all you need is some spare time and a passion for helping others.
Patient and friendly volunteers are needed to provide support within an Age UK community day centre situated on Humberstone Gate in Leicester City Centre. The role will involve assisting the day care team in delivering optimum quality of care and support to their service users. This may include assisting the minibus driver when picking up and dropping off clients from 8.30am to 10.30am and/or 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
No previous experience is needed as full training will be given. You would need to have the physical ability to help move and support older people and have good team working and communication skills.
If you are interested in applying, please email volunteer@le.ac.uk for more information.
Age UK befriender befriending volunteer
Could you spare 20-30 minutes a week as a telephone befriender to make a couple of weekly phone calls to Age UK service users who may be experiencing isolation and loneliness to offer support and companionship?
You also have the option to do regular face-to-face befriending for 1 hour a week which could be at a day centre location or in the older person’s home.
If you are interested in applying, please email volunteer@le.ac.uk for more information.
Environmental volunteering with Leicester City Council
Leicester environmental volunteers fulfil a vital role in keeping our parks and open spaces, waterways and streets clean and well maintained so that we can all enjoy them.
Make a difference in a park near you and enjoy the benefits of the wide-open spaces, fresh air and physical exercise.
Roles include gardening and horticulture, conservation, environmental improvements, litter picking and more.
Short term opportunities
Hospital meet and greet volunteer
Meet and greet volunteers support patients and visitors in finding their way around hospital sites and are highly visible to patients and visitors within public areas of the hospital (Leicester General Hospital or Leicester Royal Infirmary). You need to be smart in appearance, friendly and approachable, with good communication skills to make a good first impression. The role involves:
- Giving directions or accompanying patients and visitors to their destination
- Transporting patients to and from outpatient appointments by wheelchair
- Giving general information about the hospital
- Collecting prescription requests (from clinics) for the hospital pharmacy
- Deliver e-greetings to wards
- Liaise with the Buggy Service
- Distribute posters, leaflets, booklets around the hospital
Learn more about the roles available
Age UK volunteers and fundraisers
Age UK Leicestershire and Rutland is celebrating 70 years of support in 2022. They have a busy year of exciting events and activities planned, which you can support through fundraising and volunteering.
Action Tutoring
Volunteering as a tutor with Action Tutoring is an easy and rewarding way to make a difference to the lives of disadvantaged young people living in your community. It’s your chance to give back, share your skills and boost your CV.
By volunteering for just one hour a week, you will directly support disadvantaged pupils to build their confidence and help ensure they leave school with the grades needed to build a bright future, as well as developing your own skills.
Park Run event volunteers, Victoria Park, Leicester
Park Runs are free, weekly, community events all around the world.
Volunteers make parkrun happen. They do all of the high-profile tasks at the event like marshalling, timing, result recording, setting up the running course and more, as well as all the behind-the-scenes roles too.
Whatever you want to do, there is a role for you. To volunteer during a Saturday morning Park Run, you would need to register by the Thursday before, so your name can be added to the volunteer rota in advance. Email leicestervictoria@parkrun.com to help.