Opportunities

There are over 100 great opportunities to get involved with.  Find out which volunteering opportunities will suit you and your course by clicking here.

One-off V-Team projects

One-off projects provide you with a great way to try out volunteering without a long-term commitment. It’s an action-packed, fun thing to be part of – you will meet lots of people and see the instant benefits of your hard work.

The V-Team runs a range of such projects each year in partnership with local organisations. Previous projects have included:

•    a sports day for young offenders, giving them the chance to try out minority sports with coaching from student clubs
•    During Student Volunteering week a group of students did a Beach clean up at Harwich (followed by a barbeque)

If you want to find out about the up-coming one-off V-Team projects, or if you have any suggestions, contact us at vteam@essex.ac.uk

On-going V-Team Projects

The V-Team organises a number of regular projects that run throughout the year. These projects are often student-led, allowing you more control over what you do. We want to increase the diversity of these projects, so if there is nothing here that takes your fancy, contact the Community Volunteer Manager and we can work together to set up a new project.

Art Club
Running an after-school art club at St Andrew's Infants School. Children take part in art projects too big or messy to do at home. The scheme promotes interaction and play between children and parents. The club is about having lots of fun, with activities such as papier-mâché and painting!
Who? With children and their parents
When? Weekly, Wednesday afternoon for 1 hour (3 hours if you plan)
Where? Greenstead, Colchester

Teaching English to Refugees
Aiding people from minority ethnic groups with their conversational English and bringing them together as a group in a fun and informal setting. Training is provided to ensure that you are able to plan and deliver sessions and teach English as a second language.
Who? With refugees and minority ethnic groups
When? Once or twice a week, for 2 hours
Where? Colchester

Global Voices
Creating greater cultural awareness amongst the young people of Colchester and helping challenge stereotypes and negative racial perceptions about minority groups and the “developing world”. International students form a diverse team of “Global Voices” trained to deliver sessions in schools about their culture (e.g. religious traditions, food, dress) and global issues such as poverty.
Who? With children. You must be an international student, or have lived in a different culture for a significant period of time
When? Up to you, but at least one ½-hour session a term
Where? Colchester area, various schools

Schools Projects
The V-Team works with primary and secondary schools in the local area. You can volunteer as a classroom assistant, providing general assistance, or perhaps offering specific skills (such as those related to languages, music and art). Not only will you greatly benefit the children and the teacher that you support, but these positions are fun and perfect experience if you are pursuing a career working with children or teaching. 

V-Team projects new and in the Pipeline

Every year the Vteam starts up new projects that volunteers have recognised a need for in the community or have brought their ideas and skills to the Vteam and have created a new project from them.  If you have an idea for a new project or feel that you could develop an idea or an existing project, then please feel free to come and suggest it.

The following are new projects due to start in October:-

Time Traveller project – making history come alive for Primary school children.  Students will dress up as historical characters and answer questions from the pupils on the life and times of that character.

Superhero project – male students will act as role models to help primary school boys improve their writing and literacy skills by using a media they enjoy e.g. books, comics, magazines, games, sport etc.

Silver Screening project – local elderly residents will be coming to the University on Sunday December 9th to watch a screening of “It’s a Wonderful Life” and student volunteers will be providing them with mince pies, sausage rolls and drinks.  It this is successful we will be looking to do other times of the year.

Community Sports Days – the aim is to give children and young people the opportunity to get involved in more specialist sports.

Hockey – to teach students the basics of hockey after school.

Ideas for new projects

Virtual volunteering – this could be mentoring, designing a newsletter, befriending, designing a database, pen pals etc.  Do you have any ideas?

Cycling club for teenagers – are you interested in bikes and would like to encourage young people to mend their bikes, ride safely on the roads and keep their property safe?

Nutrition & Sport – are you doing a Sports Science degree and would like to get involved with this in the Community?  Several organisations have expressed a wish of students  to set up  a project based on this.

If any of the above interest you then contact the Vteam (see Contact page)

Sports clubs and societies

The V-Team is excited about the projects that university sports clubs and societies run with our help and support. Members of sports clubs and societies have many skills to offer, and being involved in a project in the community as a group, with your friends, is rewarding and fun.

Projects that have been developed with sports clubs and societies include:

•    local school children have been coached by the cricket club, culminating in a big tournament on campus
•    law students run a project, Street Law, which delivers citizenship sessions in schools during the year and then organises a mock trial, with prizes for the best lawyer.

So, if you are a member of a sports club or a society and want to know how you can get involved, what you can get out of volunteering, and what we can do for you, get in touch with the CommunityVolunteer Manager now!