Our plans

There are a number of activities that we will be doing in order to deliver the aims of the NCCPE vinspired students project

Research and Evidence Gathering

We will undertake a research and mapping exercise to describe current activity and impact.  In the process this will:

  • provide a benchmark of current activity
  • provide a clear description of the different types of approaches that have evolved, and how they relate to each other
  • capture the tools, resources and methodologies that underpin the different approaches

We have published our initial Research Synthesis: Student Volunteering - background, policy and context.

Engage and Involve

We will lead a dynamic and extensive consultation process which engages and involves all the key stakeholders around student volunteering. This will include a major national exercise to engage and involve students in generating ideas about the future of student volunteering. We will also consult with student volunteering workers, academic and non-academics staff in universities, graduates, employers, community groups, policy makers and funders, and vice-chancellors and senior university staff.

Develop a Framework

We will develop a strategic framework that clarifies the scope of student volunteering and its connections, and shows how it adds value to key purposes of universities including: teaching and learning; research; the student experience; public engagement; and recruitment and retention.

Launch pilot projects

We have launched a pilot project fund to consolidate best practice, tackle gaps and barriers, and promote innovation and growth.  We will commission initially at least 8 pilot projects from HE institutions, to be run during the 2009-10 academic year.  The pilot projects will create new volunteering opportunities, whilst also testing new ideas and advancing our strategic learning about student volunteering.

We launched our pilot fund on 10 September.

Run National Campaigns

We will run a number of national campaigns to explore the potential of universities working with external partners to deliver great volunteering activities on a large scale. We will facilitate new partnerships which will help universities to develop links with organisations they haven't worked with before, and help organisations to understand the benefits and challenges of working with student volunteers.

Advocacy

We will act as powerful and energetic advocates for student volunteering, reaching vice-chancellors, policy-makers and funders, to ensure that the outcomes of our work achieve a positive influence, resulting in a strong and secure future for student volunteering.

Get involved 

We are keen to hear from anyone who would like to be involved in this work. Whether you are a student who would like to help shape our project, a researcher keen to undertake some of our research, or someone with a keen interest in student volunteering do get in touch.