This year’s City Volunteer Fair is back and bigger than ever. We’re welcoming 17 fantastic partner charities onto campus to chat to you about their work and the opportunities they have to volunteer with them. Whether you’re a maths wizz who wants to support children in local schools, or an individual with brilliant interpersonal skills who wants to help reduce social isolation, we’ve got a volunteering opportunity for you.

Join us next Monday 16 October 1:00pm-4:00pm in the University Building. Spaces are booking up fast – reserve your spot and find out which charities will be coming here. We’ve put together our top tips for getting the most out of the Fair and what to prepare for. 

1. Look up the organisations attending 

It's a good idea to do some research about the charities who are coming to the fair. You can find out about what areas of work they do, the kind of opportunities they offer to volunteers, and whereabouts they work by viewing their websites or social media. 

2. Think about the organisations you most want to speak to 

The fair will likely be very busy, and there are a lot of charities coming to visit. To make the most effective use of your time, make a shortlist of the organisations you want to speak to the most and prioritise your time speaking to them. 

3. Think about some questions beforehand 

There will be lots of charities on campus and it can be overwhelming to think of what to ask them, so it might help you to think about the sorts of questions you have about their organisation or volunteering more generally. You could ask about the time commitment required, the location of the opportunities, and the types of people they support. 

4. Engage with new causes you might not have initially considered 

Even if you have your eyes set on a specific charity or social cause, keep open-minded about areas you haven’t considered before. Putting yourself outside of your comfort zone and what you know is a great way to meet new people, develop new skills and push yourself to learn something new.

5. Have meaningful conversations with organisations and make some connections 

The charity sector is a competitive place to work in, and charities are limited in their ability to train new graduates. Developing some connections through meaningful volunteering with charities can help you to navigate a career in the sector once you graduate. Charities can also provide you with some great careers advice on working in the sector and the barriers you’ll have to navigate when applying for jobs. 

6. Stay in contact afterwards (with us and the charities) 

If you liked what you saw, firstly stay in contact with City Volunteering on Instagram and in our weekly newsletter. The same goes for the organisations you speak to – keep in the know with what they’re up to on platforms such as Instagram, Linkedin and Twitter/X. 

For the full list of charities coming click here!